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Astropad’s forthcoming Luna display adapter and software turns your iPad into a wireless, essentially lag-free monitor for your Mac – and the company wanted to make it even cooler by including a clever hack that turned the iPad’s mostly useless front-facing camera into a software button. But, unsurprisingly, Apple has nixed the feature by rejecting the update which included the functionality from the App Store.
The Camera Button was rejected based on section 2.5.9 of the App Store’s review guidelines, which states that apps which alter the behavior of native hardware or software elements will be rejected. It’s amorphous enough that it could definitely apply if Apple feels inclined, which in this case it obviously does.
Still, it’s a bummer, because developers pushing the boundaries of Apple’s available APIs and developer tools is what makes apps, and iOS in general, better. This also looked like a great way to take a tricky UI problem and turn it into an innovative solution.
Astropad’s Luna Display was great before the Camera Button ever came along, however, and it’ll remain great after its gone – still, you gotta feel for the little guy in this scenario.
