Now MonoTouch supports iPhone OS 4 with current 3.0.6 version but Apple banned all programming languages beside C/C++/Objective-C. So it is confusing why Novell supports iPhone OS 4 if it is banned? Is there any exception for MonoTouch we don't know yet? I am aware of previous stackoverflow question Is MonoTouch now banned on the iPhone? But MonoTouch iPhone OS 4 support is new.
I asked to MonoTouch support about this issue but they haven't answered yet (more than a day). I am about to start iPhone development and MonoTouch seems promising however I wonder future of the MonoTouch. An answer from Novell or Apple will be appreciated. If you know something please share. Thanks
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A:
"Banned on the iPhone" is not exactly the right phrasing. To be exact, you cannot submit, to the App Store, any app that has been made with MonoTouch. Apple will not approve it.
Therefore, you can still use MonoTouch if you don't care about the App Store -- perhaps you are distributing solely to jailbreak users, or you're developing an internal application that will never get released.
Shaggy Frog
2010-06-04 19:24:06
@Shaggy Frog - This is simply not true. There have been several apps released since the new rules went in place developed using MonoTouch and were approved for sale.
Justin Niessner
2010-06-04 19:25:37
You are wrong. Those apps may have slipped through the cracks. Please see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2604033/is-monotouch-now-banned-on-the-iphone , specifically "Applications must be **originally written** in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine"
Shaggy Frog
2010-06-04 19:29:16
@Justin is correct there have been a number of apps make it into the app store written using MonoTouch since 3.3.1, and after the developers had agreed to the new TOS. It's correct to say that you can still build apps that you don't want to send to the app store using MT, whether you distribute those to the Jailbreak crowd via Cydia or for use internally under the TOS of an Enterprise developer account, but whatever the wording of 3.3.1 MT apps are still making it in to the app store. Fact.
Ira Rainey
2010-06-04 19:43:44
I have already acknowledged that these apps may be making it through... but *using Monotouch is contrary to both the letter and the spirit of the agreement*. Apple could swing their ban hammer at any time. Do you want to risk that happening to your projects? Apple could kick all those apps out of the store tomorrow.
Shaggy Frog
2010-06-04 19:55:07
@Shaggy Frog - Nobody wants to have Apple arbitrarily ban their project from the Apple App Store. Unfortunately it has been proven time and time again that Apple will ban whatever they want...regardless of what it's written in...whenever they want.
Justin Niessner
2010-06-05 01:49:33
Apple is still approving MonoTouch apps everyday. You should get informed.
Eduardo Scoz
2010-06-06 02:57:10
Apple's review process is notoriously inconsistent, so once again, I'm not surprised to hear MonoTouch apps are getting through. But I would never bet my project or my client's project's future on that holding.
Shaggy Frog
2010-06-06 15:47:00
@Shaggy Frog we have many apps passed review built using MT - you really aren't talking sense - to say something losely based on fact and mostly made up and then try to use the strict letter of the law to back up your argument doesn't hold ground.Fact is today, at this moment apps are being approved.
cvista
2010-06-08 15:18:19
I'm quoting directly from the developer agreement. What other source can one use when talking about the approval process? MT apps are originally written in C#, therefore, not allowed by the agreement. If you want to continue putting projects at an unnecessary level of risk than do so. I can't stop you.
Shaggy Frog
2010-06-08 16:48:15
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From what I've heard coming out of the MonoTouch team is that they are still following the guidelines of the iPhone SDK.
Everything gets compiled down to native instructions through the compilation process to the point that a MonoTouch app is nearly indistinguishable from it's Obj-C counterpart.
Justin Niessner
2010-06-04 19:24:39
A:
iPhone OS 4 is still in beta and its licensing terms are not yet finalized. We still need to wait till the final release day to see what is there.
You should not expect any comments from Novell or Apple. The underlying discussions cannot be made public now like most business cases.
Lex Li
2010-06-05 11:21:24
The TOS that talks about the language used to write the apps is already in use, and all developers needed to accept it, or get kicked out of the store.
Eduardo Scoz
2010-06-06 02:59:45
I really have no comments to add. Something is always out of our control.
Lex Li
2010-06-06 06:51:09
A:
You can still use Monotouch to develop applications distributed to enterprise users (using the Enterprise Deployment program).
Tajomaru
2010-06-15 22:45:19
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Well, as you might know by now: the ordeal is over. MonoTouch (and lots of other code-generating tools) are officially allowed: Apple Developer Terms
Richard
2010-09-11 19:35:47