macnn/ipodnn
03/24/2008, 9:20am, EDT
Monday, March 24th
Images of iPhone App Store leaked?
Apple may have inadvertently revealed ongoing testing of the App Store for the iPhone and the iPod touch, a popular hacking site claims. One contributor notes that while experimenting recently with the v2.0 firmware, he inadvertently managed to enter the App Store, instead of receiving the normal "cannot connect" message. Found inside were two web applications, including the well-known iPhone version of Facebook; it is speculated that Apple is doing live testing of the Store, and using placeholders in advance of the first truly native applications.
Also observed in the Store were a five-star ratings system, and a series of navigation buttons which mimic those of the current Wi-Fi Music Store. As with its sibling, visitors to the App Store can browse featured apps, the top 50, or specific keywords; apps are further divided into genres, such as "Business" or "Blogs & Forums." Each program may also receive a unique icon, though these are not visible at the moment.
Filed under: iPod, iPhone, software
Other story tags: iPod touch, App Store
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What they're most likely doing is opening the store to each and every current developer, but one at a time, to see who spreads out pictures. That way they can revoke their certificate.
That sounds more like Apple.
No, I would not have imagined anything that ugly. I'd be surprise if it's real.
Think about it: Apple's totally nuts about keeping things under wraps. This doesn't sound like a bad way to ferret out leakers - give beta testers access to the "App Store" one at a time, give each of them a default screen with unique identifiers (# of apps, # of reviews) and then when a shot leaks out, they know who did the leaking.
Sounds anal-retentive as all get out, but if anyone's capable of it, it's Apple :)