The Astro developers gained special fame a few weeks ago when they developed an ingenious idea to control their app from the iPad.
In order to add an additional button in your iPad app and without sacrificing space in the interface, they modified the functions of the front camera so that when you cover it with the gesture of pressing a button, it works like a button. It has not been seen with good eyes by Apple.
This new “button” seemed like an excellent idea. Instead of creating a complicated gesture, or adding an additional button to the screen, they used the front camera. A smart way to access the app’s menu without disturbing the iPad’s screen.
First, they introduced the function in their new app Luna Display, and they had thought to add it also in Astropad. However, the rules of the App Store say the following:
Applications that alter or deactivate standard button functions, such as the Volume Up / Down and Sound / Mute buttons, or other elements or behaviors of the native user interface, will be rejected.
The rules are the rules, and all developers must comply with them to be on the Apple platform. While it is true that the idea is ingenious, has the disadvantage that we constantly dirty the lens of the camera. The developers of Astro HQ said the following:
We are committed to surpassing the limits of software and hardware engineering in order to create the best possible productivity tools.
Apple will have its reasons for not allowing these changes and this type of controls, but it is appreciated that developers strive to get the most out of the devices. For fewer apps have been rejected in the App Store, but without these attempts, it is impossible to evolve in software development.
