Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Apple‘s chief executive apparently believes that his company made a mistake when it rejected an iPhone app from a cartoonist who is now a Pulitzer Prize winner.

An Apple spokeswoman did not comment Friday afternoon, but Steve Jobs, the Apple chief executive, responded by e-mail message to a customer, Robert Williamson, who asked about Mark Fiore’s rejected app on Friday.

“This was a mistake that’s being fixed,” Mr. Jobs replied.

Mr. Williamson forwarded the message to The New York Times after he mentioned it in a comment on this blog post.



Mr. Jobs is known to reply to customers from his personal Apple address, as Brad Stone documented in The Times last month.

In his message to Mr. Jobs on Friday morning, Mr. Williamson protested Apple’s decision to reject the app, saying: “While someone can still view these on the web with no problem, I would like to say that having these and others of their ilk available more widely as apps is a benefit to society. While ridicule might be involved, they it can play an important role in civic discourse — look to the Fool in King Lear, or other similar jesters in a royal court for examples the importance of satire.”

He added: “Editorial cartoons of all stripes should get a pass when it comes to the license agreement with the exception of those that espouse violence.”

Mr. Williamson added as a P.S., “my folks are enjoying the iPad I bought them (and they are in their 90’s).”

Mr. Jobs’ reply was short and swift, as his messages to customers typically are. “Sent from my iPad,” the signature line said, reflecting the default signature of the new Apple device.