I am building an iPhone app that will need to display info primarily in a calendar view. Users will need to be able to search for entries and view them by day, month or in a list view. It seems like the built-in calendar type interface is ideal for my app. So I could build a similar calendar with 3 buttons at the bottom for list/day/month view as well as a button for today, in short a very similar interface to the built in iPhone calendar with different colors primarily. However, if I replicate it am I a) a lame copycat for replicating the built-in interface or smart for using a well-known iPhone metaphor and b) in danger of having my app rejected?
A:
Hi,
No if you replicate the calendar your app will be not rejected. (in case of your app has not embedded only the calendar) Your app can be rejected only if we reproduce an app which has already done by apple and/or if you use private APIs.
By the way you're not in the obligation to remake the calendar, it exists some good libraries to to this like it: http://github.com/devinross/tapkulibrary
Yannick L.
2010-03-13 14:34:13
Thanks for the link Yannick! Just to clarify, I am intending not only to reuse the calendar month interface (which a lot of apps do) but the whole 3-view with bottom toolbar UI of the built-in iPhone calendar. I just thought that users already know how to navigate this way so why reinvent something else.
John Wright
2010-03-13 14:43:59
Yes I understand. But there is no problem for this kind of thing, quite the contrary. It's preferable to not change the habits of the user, that's better for ergonomics and Apple can not say otherwise.
Yannick L.
2010-03-13 15:15:52