An iPhone application designed to remotely-control the Transmission BitTorrent client has been rejected by the Apple App Store. Apple told the developer that this type of application is often used to infringe copyrights, so therefore the company has decided not to allow such software on the App store.

Drivetrain is an iPhone application to remotely control the multi-platform Transmission BitTorrent client via the Internet. According to developer, Maza Digital, Drivetrain “provides all the details of the web interface in a native iPhone app that’s easy to use.”

Maza Digital submitted Drivetrain to Apple for approval back in April, and resubmitted the App after he made a few small UI changes. He then received an email in return saying that the review would take longer than expected.

This was followed up by a second email in which Apple rejected the application for inclusion in the App Store, telling Maza Digital;

We’ve reviewed Drivetrain and determined that we cannot post this version of your application to the App Store at this time because this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third party rights. We have chosen to not publish this type of application to the App Store.

Of course, not only are all BitTorrent clients absolutely legal (people infringe copyright, not software) but Drivetrain is just an application to control a torrent client and as such goes absolutely nowhere near any copyright infringing material.

“By now I am very disillusioned with the whole AppStore process, Maza Digital told TorrentFreak in a response, adding “I find it rather ridiculous that they have rejected an app that does not do anything that may be ‘often used for the purpose of infringing third party rights’.” However, it seems that Apple has decided that everything BitTorrent related is a no go for the AppStore.

A ridiculous move by Apple and a step too far. Quick, ban Safari so no-one can use Transmission Web Interface .

Via iLounge