For those who are not familiar with iPhone development, Apple recently required that all iPhone apps be compatible with their upcoming iPhone OS 3.0, otherwise, they would be rejected from the App store. As our current Darkroom version is not OS 3.0 compliant and together with an increasing number of users questioning the lack of support for OS 3.0 beta, we submitted an updated Darkroom to include just the support for OS 3.0 beta to Apple.
For some reason or another, our latest update was rejected. We are scratching our heads here because we updated Darkroom so it can support OS 3.0. But after reading the email from Apple, it was not an issue with OS compatibility, rather it was an issue with us modifying or extending an undocumented API. Say what?!
The fact is, we have always been using their published APIs when developing Darkroom. Sure, we need to transverse into camera’s subviews and access the button event control programatically to delay the shutter action (so that we can check the steadiness of the device), but we only use published API (UIControl’s API) to accomplish that. Therefore this certainly complies with iPhone SDK Agreement section 3.3.1. All core features of Darkroom, such as steady mode, timer mode, and full screen shutter mode require an extra interface for the camera. Otherwise, such functions will not work if it’s not for the custom interface.
Apple has been approving this since we started developing Darkroom, but why this sudden rejection? We believe that other camera apps, such as Night Camera, CameraKit, Camera Zoom, QuadCamera, ProCamera, CameraBag, Pano, Fast Tap Camera, Self-Portrait and many others are also using this method to create their own camera interface as well.
We’d understand if Apple decides to reject apps when they first make their way to the app store, but when our existing app is updated specifically to meet Apple’s new policy (OS 3.0 support) and it gets rejected, we see discrepancies in their approval process and it’s misleading developers. Ultimately though, users and especially the paying customers will no longer have access to the functionalities which they paid for.
Are you a iPhone app developer? Feel free to comment if you have had similar issues with Apple’s approval process?
Vinko
May 26th, 2009 at 8:23 am
This news is infuriating!
In the past, iTunes App Store had messed up before, causing Darkroom’s previous update (v2.1) to fail to install on my iPhone 3G. Even though the applications was correctly signed and registered.
That incident took several days before the developer was able to get Apple to resolve the issue, in the mean time I was left without one of my most used iPhone app, only after the iPod and Phone apps.
As iPhone firmware 3.0 is eminent and I would hate to loose the functions Darkroom provides me.
I hope this latest move is not Apple’s way of silently eliminating its 3rd party developer, as they had frequently done on the Mac.
Apple’s iTunes App Store had made many mistakes in the past and I hope this is also a clerical error, which Apple recognizes soon.
Unfortunately, Leon Ho, the developer of Darkroom is no Trent Reznor. So let us hope that Apple hears the calls of Darkroom and iPhone users and re-allow the latest version of Darkroom into the App Store.
Edward Rudd
June 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Yeah, I am having this exact issue while trying to update QuickShot. It’s rather frustrating since they are so inconsistent and they are completely destroying a very popular style of application on the app store.
Brian
June 13th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
As a customer of darkroom… I am eagerly awaiting a 3.0 compatible version, as currently I can not use what I believe is one one of the most useful apps available for the iPhone.
Angus Lau
June 14th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Hi Brian,
Thanks for your comments. We’ve got a OS 3.0 compatible version working, but for reasons unknown to us, Apple has recently been denying photography app developers the use of their custom camera view in their APIs, something that was perfectly fine to use before.
Taso g.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:55 am
wow.
Is there a contact email for apple we can send complaints to about this? I use darkroom exclusively and was crushed when I discovered that it no longer works after updating ten minutes ago!
Good luck, keep fighting the good fight.
Taso g.
Apple killing off photo apps with custom camera UI? | iPhone News Tracker
June 18th, 2009 at 6:57 am
[...] Darkroom Premium. Other photo app developers are affected too, one being QuickShot (from a comment on previous post), they too should have solid download figures with both their Lite and Paid [...]
Jaime Gutierrez
June 18th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
well somebody better refund the dough i payed for this app. And dont start pointing the finger because at the end you took the money too so someone has to refund us or wait a class action lawsuit and then you’ll be really F****
Dave
June 18th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Darkroom is one of the most useful apps I’ve found, and I’m appalled that Apple rejected your update. I hope they change their minds soon! Your great app makes the otherwise crappy camera actually usable.
Andy
June 19th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Wow that’s really awful! I’ve been a Darkroom Premium user for several months and it’s absolutely been a godsend. Due to MS, my hands tend to shake a little bit and Darkroom made it so much easier for me to take decent pictures. I really hope Apple comes to their senses are realizes what a valuable service applications like this provide.
William
June 19th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I hope you keep on working this issue, guys. I moved Darkroom Premium to the home page of my iPhone just days after installing it, and it has been my primary app for taking photos! I too was very disappointed to find it no longer working. I hope Apple comes to their senses. They have just stranded a lot of customers.
Melissa
June 19th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I’m devastated this app no longer works on my phone. Had I known there would be an issue, I never would’ve updated…that’s how much I love this. As others have said, I use this app more than any other on my phone aside from iPod.
Please let us dedicated users know where we might send our gripes to Apple.
Dallas
June 19th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Apple’s new iPhone 3GS has a camera feature similar to Darkroom. Could they possibly be rejecting this app so that people will have to buy their new phone for the feature? The whole thing is frustrating as I am an avid Darkroom user and have no plans of upgrading to the new iPhone.
Hopefully Apple will let you guys submit the update for 3.0. Keep up the good work. I love your app.
mike s.
June 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
First of all let me say that I bought and paid for Darkroom and am disappointed that I can’t use the app anymore. With that said, there are two sides to every issue. We have heard from Stepcase who says it is all Apples fault but we don’t really know the real details from Apple’s viewpoint. I would like to know more about Apples position on this and why they have made this decision (there must be a logical reason… or maybe not logical but a solid reason). Per Stepcase it not only affects them but other camera app developers too so it is a not about Apple singling out any one individual.
Hope it all gets worked out, I’d like to use Darkroom again.
Ontwikkelaars mogen foto-apps niet updaten voor iPhone OS 3.0 > Nieuws > iPhoneclub.nl
June 20th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
[...] aangepaste bugvrije versies van Darkroom en Darkroom Premium, die wel onder iPhone OS 3.0 werken, zijn afgewezen door Apple. Daarom is het advies om bij het upgraden van je foto-applicaties eerst te checken of ze wel met [...]
Orlando Santos
June 20th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Is it possible to give requesting customers like myself a beta status so we can use your new version while Apple makes up their minds? We can send you our UDID thru email. Also here’s an email address for those who wish to use it
devprograms@apple.com
Anthony
June 21st, 2009 at 4:44 am
Facebook just updated and they let you take pictures inside the app!!! It used to crash like darkroom and darkroom premiun but now it doesnt!!! Try submitting it again!!!
Tony
June 21st, 2009 at 9:54 am
Apple is so backward with this approach… We have paid for the app and pre 3.0 it worked… Complete nonsence from them…
I will complain to apple I think… Darkroom is essential IMO
Dale
June 21st, 2009 at 10:24 am
Oh well, another $1, down the drain!
If I had known that iPhone 3.0 wouldn’t support this app, I may have delayed my upgrade to 3.0!
This app was very useful – I used it more than the iPhone’s Camera app – I depended on the steadycam function to make my iPhone pictures as sharp as I could (I have an original iPjone and the camera’s resolution “always” leaves the picture blurry!).
Perhaps Apple will allow your continued success or Apple will at least fix their own camera app to provide steadycam functions and timer photo shoots).
Regardless, it is again the iPhone user (Apple user) that suffers.
I’ve been an Apple owner/user since 1977 (Apple ][) and many times, over the years, I have been disappointed with Apple not being more “open” to their users and developers.
May the Lord Bless and Keep us all!
Good luck – I want this app back AND working on iPhone 3.0.
Thanks!
– Dale
Michael
June 21st, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I wonder if this has ANYTHING to do with the new iPhone 3GS. Probably not… but still… it all seems a little too fishy. I really hope this gets straightened out, because along with Taso g. I also use Dark Room exclusively. Hell I even bought the premium version because I used the free one so much, I figured I might as well support you guys.
I hope this all gets straightened out.
Luis Escorial
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
So, for those of us who purchased the app… just trash it?
Angus Lau
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Thanks everyone for the support! We’re still waiting for the reply, but what everyone can do in the meantime is contact Apple and address the issue with them, if you haven’t already.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/
jigme
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:24 am
just sent the below feedback to Apple:
“i’m a loyal Apple customer and have been for years. i’m also a diabetic who has some difficulty with peripheral neuropathy: this makes it difficult for me to hold a camera steadily enough to take a decent shot.
for this reason, i bought Darkroom Premium from your App Store to use on my iPhone 3G; this has been an absolute godsend for me. i know of others, including MS sufferers, who agree with me on this point. how wonderful that the App Store enables rsourceful developers to provide such wonderful software to use on our wonderful devices! this, imho, is what makes iPghone and the App Store such a profound and beneficial paradigm shift in terms of mobile phone functionality.
we were therefore devastated to find that you have apparently rejected Darkroom Premium’s OS 3.0 compatible update. had i known that you would do this, i would not have updated my phone’s firmware! now, my camera has been rendered virtually unusable for me.
the developer says that you cited their use of a custom camera view, updating or modifying an undocumented API, but that in fact the application has *always* relied on only the published UIControl API. they speculate that you may be blocking such camera apps now that the 3GS has been released (which apparently includes some steadying functionality in its camera app). i sincerely hope that this is not the case, as this would demonstrate a quite mercenary cynicism, and i would hope that, as a company, you are better than that.
please let me know that these fears are unjustified, and please return the use of such applications to those, such as myself, who need them! please don’t take our iPhone’s camera away from us! most of us are in contracts, and are simply unable to afford to upgrade our phones at this point in order to replace a functionality that was working perfectly previously!
i do hope that you will have the decency to respond meaningfully.
with thanks for a wonderful product, yours faithfully,
alex”
Mike
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Apple ap approval process again disappoints. A simple suggestion… I was waiting for a different ap to come out (pre-3.0), and was watching the developer’s progress through his blog. The great day comes when he submits, and it is rejected for a variety of arcane reasons. Someone on the blog suggests he resubmit without any revisions. He does so, ends up with a different reviewer, and his ap is approved very promptly. Seems like it can’t hurt to run it through a second time and see what happens.
Kathleen
June 24th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
FWIW, I just sent this on the feedback page:
Keep us posted, please!
Pressing on Regardless,(hope you do, too!)
Kathleen
Robert
June 25th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I purchased your app despite the fact that it wouldn’t work on my iPhone 3GS, because I figure that it will eventually clear the App Store approval process and I will get the upgrade. If you never get approval then please consider my payment an incentive to continue to develop software – the users of the compatible version raved about it, which is why I bought it.
Gabe
June 28th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Please resubmit this app to Apple as others have urged and do not give up after the first try. Maybe you’ll get a different reviewer. It’s worth a try, right?
Gabe
June 28th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Whoops. I guess maybe resubmitting won’t work. Looks like this is affecting other camera apps, such as Night Camera, Darkroom, CameraKit, Camera Zoom, QuadCamera, ProCamera, CameraBag, Pano, Fast Tap Camera, Self-Portrait and many others.
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/06/22/interview-jared-brown-iphone-developer-about-having-his-app-rejected/
Matt
June 30th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I have been an avid user of Darkroom for some time now and find it to be an extremely useful program. I am a professional photographer and have used Darkroom and the iPhone to produce a book which received raved reviews. I am getting ready to start another book project using Darkroom and my iPhone, this time with members of congress. Since updating the iPhone OS, my Darkroom program will not work. This now means time and money to me!!! If there is anything I can do to help get my iPhone back up and running using Darkroom, PLEASE let me know!
Alex Martin
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:40 am
Cant believe how lame is Apple sometimes in their paranoic “self protection” acts…
I wrote this letter to “iTunes Feedback”. I dont have much hopes on it, but I think if everybody push a bit… we may get some reaction…
Recently I updated my iPhone to OS 3.0, and one of my fav apps, Darkroom Premium stopped working, talking to the developer, he explained that Apple denies aproval due to the use of “not documented API”. I’m a customer, end user, I dont need to know about APIs, but if Apple is not letting Stepcase to publish an update in Darkroom Premiun I think is clear that Apple should refund the money I payed for that application, because seems that I wont be able to use it anymore. I really hope to have a “decent” and “clear” answer on this, because if I dont, means that lots of users of camera apps wont aswell, and be sure, someone will end taking some drastic actions.
Yours,
Alex Martin
Jack
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:42 am
Just release a 3.0 version for jailbroken phones and to hell with apple!!
Alex Martin
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 am
What about the UDID alternative that someone mentioned before? I’m a premium customer, some news on the status of Darkroom will be apreciated.
Yours,
Alex
Cool Outfit: Fürs Fotolabor am iPhone | Anziehendes in Blogbuchstaben
July 6th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
[...] 3gS nicht mehr so gern gesehener Gast und funktioniert nicht mehr, obwohl der Entwickler sogar ein Update zur Verfügung stellen [...]
Dale
August 1st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Damn this is infuriating. The iPhone camera aint worth a “Pinch of Pelican shit” (colloquial I know but very descriptive)and this great app made it suddenly usable. Maybe they wont allow it as it shows their product up for what it really is. Manifestly lacking and able to be easily improved by others.
Anthony
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Agreed on the Jailbreak version. Without this app, I don’t even bother taking pictures with my iPhone anymore. Pointless blurry pixels.
Missing this app big time.
andrew Francois
August 12th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Ive been waiting for ages like all of you. I was using this app ALL the time instead of the native one!