Reports say that Apple has added more transparency to the process of reviewing, approving and / or rejecting iPhone applications, by providing developers with a status application. Using the tool, developers will be able to track the progress of their application, see whether it’s waiting to be reviewed, or ready to hit the App Store.

Since the debut of the iTunes App Store last year, Apple has been widely criticized for the way it has handled the application-approval process. It still is, to this day, although the company has strived to maintain a good relationship with developers, while handling the enormous intake of applications submitted each week by developers from all corners of the world.

According to a Wired report cited by 9to5mac, “Apple’s previous review status system was terse and impersonal. All developers could see was a status graphic providing the average wait time for submitted apps. The bulletin would read, for example, ‘Based on current app submissions, 96 percent of applications are being approved within 14 days.’”

Although the company is likely to erroneously approve or reject a few more apps until it can effectively adjust the process to the point it’s solid as law, it’s good to see the company is putting effort into improving its connection with developers. However, certain things, like contractual limitations, are likely to remain in place.

There’s also the matter of fleeing developers, some of whom Apple will not be winning back, even by adjusting its policies. It is the case of those developers whose ideas included replicating (more or less) bits of functionality found in Apple’s own iPhone software. The policy, for some, appears to be blocking originality and advancement.

Any iPhone developers stopping by Softpedia are more than welcome to share their impressions with us following Apple’s move to provide a tracking method for submitted apps.