Affiliate Disclosure
If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy.

Steve Jobs calls frustrated developer after Apple rejects iPad app

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs recently made a personal phone call to an iOS developer, after his application was rejected from the App Store for using a private application programming interface.

Developer Ram Arumugam e-mailed Jobs directly on Oct. 26 after he learned his application, "Economy for iPad," was rejected. According to The Seattle Times, two hours later he received a phone call direct from Jobs, who explained to him why his application was rejected.

Arumugam was informed that "Economy" had relied on a non-public API, which is against Apple's rules for developers. The developer explained to Jobs that he used the private code to resolve an issue with making the on-screen keyboard disappear after the user was done typing.

After his conversation with Jobs, Arumugam revised his application and removed the private API, and it was accepted into the App Store. But the developer said he was very surprised that he received a personal call from Jobs.

"The fact that he took the time to read my e-mail, think about the app and then personally call me was amazing," he wrote on his blog.

Jobs has a reputation as a hands-on CEO, and he frequently responds to e-mails sent to him by users. Those e-mails, often with characteristically brief responses, are often republished online and gain considerable attention, though the authenticity of many notes is difficult to prove.

Earlier this year, a phony e-mail exchange was offered for sale to a number of sites, including AppleInsider, before one technology publication purchased the fake conversation and published details from it. Apple's public relations department quickly responded by outright denying the exchange.



53 Comments

steve-j 15 Years · 320 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider "The fact that he took the time to read my e-mail, think about the app and then personally call me was amazing," he wrote on his blog.

]

What a waste of his time. Shouldn't he be working on getting printing to work instead?

ghostface147 17 Years · 1628 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-J

What a waste of his time. Shouldn't he be working on getting printing to work instead?

No, that's what he has his peeps do for him. I actually am not sure if he is even able to code anything.

As for the developer bitching about things, he needs to shut his mouth. He knew he used a private API and admitted to it and then wonders why he was rejected. Clown.

steve-j 15 Years · 320 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostface147

No, that's what he has his peeps do for him. I actually am not sure if he is even able to code anything.


Good point.

Maybe he should spend his time single-handedly saving the publishing industry instead of corresponding with Clowns.

He seems to have backburnered that whole "use iOS to save the publishing industry and the TV industry" project.

uberben 15 Years · 62 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-J

Good point.

Maybe he should spend his time single-handedly saving the publishing industry instead of corresponding with Clowns.

He seems to have backburnered that whole "use iOS to save the publishing industry and the TV industry" project.

I think to be fair he pushed really hard at the start, but has met much resistance with companies worried that they will lose money (not been able to gather customer information is a huge, huge thing) or just not interested enough to commit resources. So now it'll happen, but at a much slower pace.

Personally I think it's quite awesome that he would do this, even if these emails and this calls are pure marketing (which I personally don't think they are). Maybe he isn't Jesus but he's the best CEO out there.

boeyc15 15 Years · 986 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-J

What a waste of his time. Shouldn't he be working on getting printing to work instead?

And/Or perhaps what to do with $50 billion?

Although previously discussed on various threads, the thought is that he has a screener(s), that chooses a select few emails and does the prep work etc. How else would he know so fast why it was rejected etc. At least I would hope he has trusted assistants to do this screen and prep work... otherwise, he's a 24 hour a day(and probably distorts time to get more work done) working machine who really is an alien from the planet (fill in the blank).