Intellectual Property Law

Apple Rejects iPhone BitTorrent App

By David Kravets

Citing copyright infringement concerns, Apple won’t include a BitTorrent client in the App Store.

The Cupertino-based electronics company rejected Maza Digital’s Drivetrain, saying “this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third-party rights. We have chosen to not publish this type of application to the App Store.”

Apple is well known for banning porn-related apps or those it deems culturally unworthy. That said, the latest rejection is rather ironic: iPhones, iPods, even Apple computers and those produced by its competitors are routinely used “for the purpose of infringing third-party rights.” And there already is at least one app available, called trackr, which is described as “an RSS reader with the unique ability to queue to torrent downloads diectly from an RSS feed.”

Clearly, there are legitimate uses for the BitTorrent protocol . Still, Apple is obviously wary of authorizing BitTorrent downloading apps because it could hinder its iTunes market for videos and music by turning the iPhone into a pocket-sized venue for ripping off pirated content. It is also fighting to retain control of its App Store as the Copyright Office is considering authorizing iPhone users to jailbreak the device and run unauthorized apps.

Aaron Scott, the developer of Drivetrain, said via an e-mail interview from Australia that Apple’s decision was “ridiculous.”

“I do think that some people might choose to download pirated works. But they can not outlaw a program because of a few who choose to do the wrong thing. The BitTorrent protocol and client apps are not illegal,” he said.

Hat nod: ilounge

Full post as published by Threat Level on May 11, 2009 (boomark / email).