By: Angela Soric
Lately Apple has been trying to put a stop to applications that are deemed “too sexy”, including photographs of women in lingerie and swimsuits, a decision that has surprised many developers. However, this clearly shows that Apple will not take a hands-off approach like its biggest competitor, Google.
In a New York Times interview with Apple’s Senior Vice President, Phil Schiller, more information was given concerning the removal of thousands of “risqué” apps from the iTunes App Store. Schiller stated that over the past few weeks, some developers were submitting applications containing very objectionable content.
“It came to the point where we were getting customer complaints from women who found the content getting too degrading and objectionable, as well as parents who were upset with what their kids were able to see,” said Schiller.
AppShopper.com has been tracking the number of apps added and removed from the App Store each day and found that Apple withdrew more than 6,000 applications in just four days (nearly 4,000 last Thursday alone).
Analysts believe the company may be trying to ensure that the App Store would not scare off potential customers as its products become more mainstream, especially with the arrival of the new iPad-which Apple hopes will be used as an educational tool in schools.
“At the end of the day, Apple has a brand to maintain,” said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray who keeps a close eye on the company. “And the bottom line is they want that image to be squeaky clean.”
