14 DAY TRIAL // In a manner similar to that of shutting out Flash developers, Apple has released an updated version of its Developer Program License Agreement that, one could say, specifically targets Google's AdMob mobile ad-delivery service.
The new wording states that an app "may not collect, use, or disclose to any third party" any user or device data "without Apple's prior written consent." Moreover, "You may not use third party analytics software in Your Application to collect and send device data to a third party for aggregation, processing, or analysis," Apple tells developers. Only after receiving the customer’s consent will advertising agencies (such as Google’d AdMob) be allowed to collect user data.
The modified section 3.3.9 specifically states that information can only be provided to "an independent advertising service provider whose primary business is serving mobile ads." It continues, with Apple stressing, "For example, an advertising service or provider owned or affiliated with a developer or distributor of mobile devices, mobile operating systems of development environments other than Apple would not qualify as independent." Google’s AdMob is targeted here, the company being qualified as a "developer or distributor" of mobile operating systems.
AdMob Founder and CEO Omar Hamoui has responded to Apple’s lockout in a post on his company’s blog. "Apple proposed new developer terms on Monday that, if enforced as written, would prohibit app developers from using AdMob and Google’s advertising solutions on the iPhone […] Let's be clear," Hamoui writes. "This change is not in the best interests of users or developers," he believes. "In the history of technology and innovation, it’s clear that competition delivers the best outcome. Artificial barriers to competition hurt users and developers and, in the long run, stall technological progress," he adds. "We want to help make more of them, so we’ll be speaking to Apple to express our concerns about the impact of these terms," a conclusion to the five-paragraph blog post goes.