
Recently a startup I know was heavily pressured by Apple to change their iOS app marketing material. The problem? The app was shown with a white iPhone image on their website.
That’s the first I’ve ever heard of Apple freaking out over the color of the iPhone skin in third party marketing materials. I asked a bunch of app developers if they’d ever heard about this, and none of these other developers had. And some prominent apps, like Flipboard and Path, use the white iPhone on their sites.
Apple has clear guidelines on the use of ios device images. There’s no specific rule about using only black device images, but there is a requirement that only approved images can be used. All of those approved images are black.
The private written communications I’ve seen from Apple, though, are quite clear on the restriction. In verbal communications they’ve said that they’re reserving use of the white iPhone for their own marketing materials.
Any other app developers out there that have been pressured by Apple to only use black device images? Dalton Caldwell, the CEO of App.net, works with thousands of developers to help them market their apps. He says he hasn’t heard a word about this. They may, soon.
(CrunchFund is an investor in Path.)





Apple iPhone 4 is being liked a lot by its users. Apple always make its users happy with the ultimate products that it comes up with. Lately the Apple iPhone 4 White has been seen in market and it is much talked about.
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Like[...] : Apple se garde l’iPhone 4 blanc pour sa propre promotion. Un développeur a eu quelques petits problèmes avec Apple au sujet de l’utilisation de l’iPhone 4 [...]
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Like[...] Source [...]
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Like[...] tipo de pedido por parte da Apple. Michael Arrington, fundador do TechCrunch, escreveu para o Pando Daily, afirmando que está bastante claro nas comunicações que ele teve acesso, entre Apple e devs, [...]
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LikeGood. The white iPhone is ugly as sin. (IMO) All of my iPhones have been black. Anyone know which color is more popular?
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LikeReblogged this on Digixav and commented: Today's ridiculous story comes from Michael Arrington on PandoDaily, reporting that Apple have told developers to stop using images of white iPhones. Not sure if serious...
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Like[...] founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando Daily: Recently a startup I know was heavily pressured by Apple to change their iOS app [...]
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Like[...] PandoDaily Further ReadingEFF: Apple should stand up and defend its developersIn response to the Lodsys [...]
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Like[...] founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando Daily: var PopAds_SiteID=18900; var PopAds_MinimalBid=0.0005; var [...]
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Like[...] the white iPhone 4/4S as part of their marketing materials.TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando Daily: Recently a startup I know was heavily pressured by Apple to change their iOS app [...]
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Like[...] founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando [...]
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Like[...] founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando Daily: Recently a startup I know was heavily pressured by Apple to change their iOS app [...]
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Like[...] founder Michael Arrington broke the story for Pando Daily: Recently a startup I know was heavily pressured by Apple to change their iOS app [...]
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LikeWhere you been?
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LikePerhaps it's because Apple is phasing out the white model to make room for the rainbow colored line of iPhones shipping next week (according to my ANALyst sources)!
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Like[...] 3.Apple Tells Developers To Stop Using White iPhone Images [...]
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LikeDon't think Apple did this because of color, the picture more likely was used in some inappropriate way like it was too low quality, the size of picture wasn't realistic compared to hand or this device was jailbokren and there was Cydia installed :)
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Like[...] Apple Tells Developers To Stop Using White iPhone Images (PandoDaily) [...]
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LikeReblogged this on quickgamer88.
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LikeMichael, Great to see you back! And you uncovered a real issue. The "pressured startup" will get more pressure as will a number of other companies. The "smoking gun" is here on page 5: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/AppStoreMarketingGuidelines.pdf It is as clear as it gets for Apple: "Select the Apple product image that best fits your layout and open the file in Adobe Photoshop. Double-click the icon in the “Open to Replace Screen” layer (a Smart Object layer). A dialog directs you to edit the contents of the layer. Click OK. A new working window opens. Place the artwork for your application screen in the “Your Screen Here” window. Save it and close the window. The gray neutral screen image updates automatically. In the horizontal iPhone and iPod touch images, the reflection updates with your screen image. Do not alter the reflection layer." All of the product images are Black. And only Apple supplied images are considered compliant. The Guidelines have been updated after the white version of the iPhone 4 was made available. My source tells me that Apple has much more in mind about limiting use to just black. It may relate to a new product announcement that could in some way confuse the consumer...
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Likehmmm...future iTV remote perchance?
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LikeKinda-off-topic; I'm psyched to see @Arrington posting here:) Totally awesome Pando-ton win!
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Like[...] TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington reports for Pando Daily: [...]
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Like[...] founder Mike Arrington reports for Pando Daily: The private written communications I’ve seen from Apple, though, are quite clear on the [...]
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LikeSo the story is that Apple wants to enforce uniformity in their branding?
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LikeOnly high-profile apps are gonna hear from Apple. When it does you can guarantee nobody is going to go public with the issue because they don't want to face any potential issues. With all do respect, the commenters here are likely small frys who wouldn't be noticed because their app isn't having 100k+/day of downloads.
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LikeWith all the respect, hundred thousands of -100K download per day App built their platform...
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Like[...] according to a report from Michael Arrington at Pando Daily, Apple is taking these guidelines even further and has begun telling some developers to cease using [...]
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Like[...] mentionata pe site-ul celor de la Apple insa fostul fondator al Tech Crunch, Michale Arrington, a aflat de la o companie ca Apple le-a cerut sa scoata imaginile cu iPhone-uri albe. Apple le-ar fi spus ca [...]
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LikeIt's probably because the images (screenshots) on the black iPhone is more contrasting than if you use the White model. (websites with mostly white background, etc.)
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LikeBouygues Telecom is running huge ads on bus stops here in France with white iPhones. I wonder if they will be asked to take them down. http://www.pro.bouyguestelecom.fr/var/proca/storage/images/media/images/site-pro/hub/covers/cover-hub-iphone-4s-pour-professionnels/24910-1-fre-FR/cover-hub-iphone-4s-pour-professionnels.jpg
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LikeBouygues didn't change the content of the iPhone to show its own apps or services, it remains Apple's home screen.
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LikeI doubt this was the case, they probably weren't using the images in a proper way.
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LikeStrangely, all press-kit photos they offer are of the white model. http://www.apple.com/pr/products/iphone/iphone.html
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Likeyeah, weird. http://www.apple.com/pr/products/iphone/iphone.html
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LikeThe Arrington approaches!
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LikeLeave it to Woolfy to spot the ex-TechCrunch all-star.
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