Apple's hidden efforts to support iPhone games developers

There's a popular perception that Apple has much work to do when it comes to its support for iPhone games developers.
Its approvals process is murky, its rejections are brusque and often without explanation, and its games teams reside in an ivory tower far blithely ignoring the concerns and requests of its developer community.
That's the theory. However, in talking to numerous developers this week at Mobile World Congress, and in recent weeks, a very different picture has emerged.
Apple has ramped up its behind-the-scenes efforts to work with key iPhone gaming firms - which includes some of the most talented indie developers, as well as giants like EA Mobile and Gameloft.
For much of 2009, the mobile games industry was effectively trying to guess Apple's tastes, as developers and publishers hoped for coveted featured spots on the App Store.

In 2010, certainly in Europe, Apple's games team has been visiting games firms to give direct, in-person feedback on what it likes and dislikes about their games - and about what it's looking for when allocating those featured spots on its store.
With tens of thousands of games developers, of course the vast majority aren't getting this personal treatment.
But the companies that are can ditch the guessing games about 'what Apple thinks' when developing their new titles.
This isn't a hymn of praise to Apple for the sake of it. It's just that there's an interesting contrast between the public image of Apple as aloof from its games community, and its private efforts in its role as a platform owner.
The company is starting to steer iPhone gaming, through these meetings and its choice of featured games. A fascinating development in the light of its rivals' efforts to court iPhone games developers, promising them more support and two-way communication.
That's why Apple's recent efforts are significant. Many of the key iPhone games in the coming months will have had the company's hand in them.
Arrogant? Anything but. As rivals launch more powerful handsets and look to get their app stores in order, Apple is taking its role as a games platform owner more seriously than ever.

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/36106...mes-developers