Booted Pulse iPad App Returns to the App Store–But How?
Pulse, the iPad news reader lauded by Apple CEO Steve Jobs during his WWDC keynote Monday only to be pulled from App Store hours later after a complaint from the New York Times Company, has been reinstated. Earlier this afternoon, Pulse returned to the App Store–though it’s not quite clear why.
The Stanford University graduate students who designed the app say they submitted a new version to Apple (AAPL) that doesn’t preload the Times’ RSS feed, but as far as they know, it is still awaiting review. In other words, the app that’s currently available on iTunes appears to be the original version that inspired the takedown request.
I own the app and a quick check of my iTunes account shows no updates yet available for Pulse. And on my iPad, it’s still pulling in an RSS feed from the Times.
I have asked Apple and the Times for comment and will update here if I hear back.
In the meantime, here’s the New York Times (NYT) explanation for why it complained about the app in the first place.
The Terms of Use on our RSS feeds makes it clear that the RSS feeds are available for non-commercial use only. By charging for an app ($3.99) that gives users access to our RSS feeds, they are violating that provision of the Terms of Use. Furthermore, when a user clicks on a story in the News Pulse Reader, it takes them to the nytimes.com site, which is framed within the News Pulse Reader app browser, as opposed to taking them directly to our site. (Since our RSS is not full text, once a user of any of our RSS feeds views the RSS headline/summary of any of our articles, a user can click a button in the app labeled “Web” & this opens our Web site up but keeps the user within the App.) This is a violation of the nytimes.com Terms of Use. Finally, they are using the Times name/content to promote their app, particularly because the Times RSS feed comes preloaded on the App and we are featured in their demonstration video: http://www.alphonsolabs.com/video
Comments
Pulse is Incredible.. I want…. no Need it on my iPhone
Posted by mrpopular at June 8th, 2010 at 8:36 pmny times? is there a need for a “new york” times to be read anywhere else other than new york? the days of newspaper monopolies over daily news are long gone.
Posted by samharrison at June 8th, 2010 at 9:15 pmIdiots, all of them. And not just the NY Times, but most traditional media outlets. Are they scrambling to put revenue generating ads in their RSS Feeds? No. Are they being reasonable about allowing the best UI experience (in app web pages vs opening Safari)? No. Instead they're paying some $1000/hr lawyer to squash use of their content that could potentially generate loads of money for them.
Posted by keolson at June 8th, 2010 at 9:31 pmIdiots, all of them. And not just the NY Times, but most traditional media outlets. Are they scrambling to put revenue generating ads in their RSS Feeds? No. Are they being reasonable about allowing the best UI experience (in app web pages vs opening Safari)? No. Instead they're paying some $1000/hr lawyer to squash use of their content that could potentially generate loads of money for them.
Posted by keolson at June 8th, 2010 at 9:32 pmWell, i have learned this app in other website. i need it…. to my ipad.
Posted by stonee at June 9th, 2010 at 1:13 amAll excellent points, thanks for posting.
Posted by Shawn_The_Bohn at June 9th, 2010 at 4:17 amThis is stupid beyond words. This means that any paying RSS reader is forbidden to use the NYTimes feed ? Or that any RSS reader which opens web pages within itself rather than to an external web browser shouldn't use the NYTimes feed either ? That covers pretty much every RSS reader out there.
Posted by glaurent at June 9th, 2010 at 9:14 amRight there with you keolson… Don't understand why media outlets are trying so hard to restrict content that could potentially gain a larger audience and thus allow for more advertising dollars being spent…So frustrating!
Posted by emily_at_MOD at June 9th, 2010 at 4:47 pmRight there with you keolson… Don't understand why media outlets are trying so hard to restrict content that could potentially gain a larger audience and thus allow for more advertising dollars being spent…So frustrating!
Posted by emily_at_MOD at June 9th, 2010 at 4:48 pmIt is when the oligarchs are feeling their cash piles aren't deep enough to do a swan dive into anymore…
Posted by Shawn_The_Bohn at June 10th, 2010 at 6:30 amny times? is there a need for a “new york” times to be read anywhere else other than new york? the days of newspaper monopolies over daily news are long gone.
Posted by Girl Games at June 23rd, 2010 at 5:25 am