Apple: "We don't need more fart apps"

Apple has published the "formidable" guidelines by which games are either accepted for sale on the App Store or turned away.

"We have over 250,000 apps in the App Store," the document stated. "We don't need any more Fart apps. If your app doesn't do something useful or provide some form of lasting entertainment, it may not be accepted."

"If your app looks like it was cobbled together in a few days, or you're trying to get your first practice app into the store to impress your friends, please brace yourself for rejection. We have lots of serious developers who don't want their quality apps to be surrounded by amateur hour."

That tightening of the quality-belt was complimented by warnings against "excessively objectionable or crude content", pornography, Russian roulette and games treading on risky political ground: "Enemies within the context of a game cannot solely target a specific race, culture, a real government or corporation, or any other real entity," the document read.

Nevertheless, there were positives: Adobe's AIR platform was given the thumbs-up, as was Unity. But Flash, on the other hand, remains rejected.

"This document represents our best efforts to share how we review apps submitted to the App Store, and we hope it is a helpful guide as you develop and submit your apps," Apple concluded. "It is a living document that will evolve as we are presented with new apps and situations, and we'll update it periodically to reflect these changes.

"Thank you for developing for iOS," wrote Apple in closing. "Even though this document is a formidable list of what not to do, please also keep in mind the much shorter list of what you must do. Above all else, join us in trying to surprise and delight users. Show them their world in innovative ways, and let them interact with it like never before. In our experience, users really respond to polish, both in functionality and user interface.

"Go the extra mile," the document encouraged. "Give them more than they expect. And take them places where they have never been before. We are ready to help."