Tags: iOS development

Can it be true? Review and approval times for app updates at the iTunes App Store suddenly comparable to VersionTracker, MacUpdate, and Upload.com? Apparently so. Apple's developer portal "iTunes Connect" was shut down for upgrades from Dec 23 to Dec 28 and it appears they spent the time wisely, emplacing a radically turbo-charged approval process. Reports indicate typical turnaround time has plummeted to an average of 22 hours, compared to a week or more before the overhaul. [updated]

There are vast fortunes to be made in the world of iPhone apps if you've got that certain multi-touch mojo. Programming the iPhone might turn out to be the easiest part, because the work sure doesn't end there! Competition is fierce, and it's getting harder by the minute to stand out in a world where 100,000 apps (and growing) vie for the attention of 50 million users on the go. It's been three cold weeks since ChordCalc made its debut on the iTunes App Store, and as I anxiously wait to see what happens next, I thought I'd take some time and recount the trials and tribulations of a sleepless developer who's beginning to wonder if all the blood, sweat, and tears is really worth it.