Editorials March 24, 2010

The Approval of Readdle’s Scanner Pro 2.0 Raises Questions…

Scanner Pro is a powerful iPhone app that “transforms the device into portable scanner”. Just updated to version 2.0, the app adds GoogleDocs integration, camera stabilization, automatic edge detection and passcode protection. It costs $6.99 in the App Store but is a free update to existing users.

With Scanner Pro 2.0 comes in handy when

a hard copy document should be scanned and there is no scanner nearby. It lets people scan multipage documents, email them and even upload to Dropbox, Evernote, MobileMe iDisk or any other WebDAV enabled server. The application incorporates special algorithms to enhance image quality and make it as readable as possible.

While it is a bit on the complex side once you learn how to use the app it is remarkably powerful.

All of which is interesting but what really caught my eye, and raised questions, when I received word of the update yesterday was this…

The App Store review team received, reviewed and released the new version in less that 4 hours!!

Is that a new record? I suspect so. And it leaves me wondering…

How long will it take for Apple to reject review Opera’s browser for the iPhone?

I mean, they are still “reviewing” Google Voice months and months later without actually accepting or rejecting it aren’t they?

Readdle’s Scanner Pro 2.0 is available now for $6.99. You can get it here.

Tags: Apple iPhone and Touch Apps, Dropbox, Scanners

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About Dan Cohen

View all posts by Dan Cohen

Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him.

Larry Greenberg

I’m not sure that this recent “quick” approval of Scanner Pro raises any question that hasn’t already been raised. What I mean to say is the fast-tracking of apps being approved isn’t necessarily new.

Both TiPb here:

http://www.tipb.com/2010/01/12/apples-app-approval-process-speedy/

and TUAW here: http://i.tuaw.com/2010/01/09/apples-new-years-resolution-get-apps-through-approval-faster/

raised the point in an articles at the beginning of this year suggesting the new fast approval was part of some sort of New Year’s resolution on Apple’s part.

I also seem to remember a tweet by the developer of Twittelator regarding his app. getting lighting fast approval of an update.

Apple’s approval process has long been under fire and this does further fuel evidence of its flaws. Although I’m not even sure it’s fair to compare the quick approval of a scanner application to something as substantial as Opera Mini.