The EFF, which has already sparred with Apple over it’s stance on “jailbreaking” iPhones, found a loophole through which it could legally obtain and publish the “iPhone Developer Program License Agreement” for the edification of the public. Because NASA has an iPhone app, the EFF was able to use the Freedom of Information Act to get their copy of the agreement, which includes prominently among its articles the prohibition against developers’ discussing or making public the terms of the agreement.
Naturally, EFF takes a dim view of many of the agreement’s items, which it highlights in summary form in the press release, such as:
Kill Your App Any Time: Section 8 makes it clear that Apple can “revoke the digital certificate of any of Your Applications at any time.” Steve Jobs has confirmed that Apple can remotely disable apps, even after they have been installed by users. This contract provision would appear to allow that.
What do you think of the course Apple is charting regarding its products and the applications allowed to exist on them? Is it an example of “being evil” or just a savvy company taking full control of its products and assets?
