Remember when Apple changed section 3.3.9 of their Dev Agreement back in April? Turns out they did it because Steve was pissed off at Flurry, a well known analytics firm which, according to Steve, was collecting user data such as geolocation and device information without actual user permission. That’s how the first specs about Apple’s iPad started to go out, and that’s why Steve decided to change the agreement.
The updated agreement indeed says:
“You may only provide or disclose User Data to third parties as necessary for providing services or functionality for the Application that collected the User Data, and then only if You receive express user consent. For example, if Your Application would like to post a message from a user to a third party social networking site, then You may only share the message if the user has explicitly indicated an intention to share it by clicking or selecting a button or checking a box that clearly explains how the message will be shared.
Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, Device Data may not be provided or disclosed to a third party without Apple’s prior written consent. Accordingly, the use of third party software in Your Application to collect and send Device Data to a third party for processing or analysis is expressly prohibited.”
Also, Steve went off a little bit on Flurry on yesterday. Here’s what he said:
“Some company called Flurry had data on devices that we were using on our campus; new devices. They were getting this info by getting developers to put software in their apps that sent info back to this company! So we went through the roof. It’s violating our privacy policies, and it’s pissing us off! So we said we’re only going to allow analytics that don’t give our device info; only for the purpose of advertising.
After we calm down from being pissed off, then we’re willing to talk to some of these analytics firms. But it’s not today.”
The devices he’s talking about were 50 iPads that were spotted by Flurry’s tools back in October at Apple’s campus in Cupertino.
Flurry hasn’t released an official statement about yesterday’s Steve Jobs words, but VentureBeat’s Paul Boutin has received the following text from Flurry’s VP Farago:
“We have also been in communication with Apple … We are updating our analytics service to comply with section 3.3.9 of the Apple 4.0 PLA. We will not collect device data. All in all, the changes required to be in compliance will have little impact on the usefulness we provide to developers about how to improve their applications, and how to continue to increase consumer satisfaction.”
So, they’re changing their policies. Anything to stay in the game.
