Oh sure, if you want Skynet to win.

Noone's forcing you to buy iAnything.

Nor is it censorship - they have the right to decide at any time what to sell, just as this site can decide at any time to remove anything posted by anyone and zot them.

Don't like it, make your own site - make your own platform - sell your own App through your own channel.

It's nothing like getting censored on a website you paid for, as in the case of a website you are going into their server, somewhat like entering their place of business. They can kick out or censor anyone they like. It's their place you're in.
This is the removal of something you bought and paid (licensed, but that's just what allows this kind of abuse) for from a device you also paid for and carry around in your pocket, and should have a reasonable expectation of being able to use tomorrow. (at least from any respectable company)
Apple's place now extends into your pocket.
It's kind of like employees of a bookstore coming into your house, raiding your shelf, and leaving you a store gift card because they no longer have an agreement with the publishing company that printed something.
Or Amazon deleting books off your Kindle.
I haven't heard of SG going around to anybody's house demanding their DVDs back.
Apple is rotten.

To be clear, does this also remove the app from the phones of people who bought it? That wasn't my understanding of this at all - it seems like it just removes the possibility of future purchases.

I'm not sure, as I don't have an iPhone. But the made a point of making sure they can.. And that's an old, old article.
Chrome and Windows can do this too, but that's another story altogether.
In slightly related old news, a couple months ago Apple seems to have agreed with the Chinese government that the Dalai Llama is obscene too. Not in those words, but do you see the wider implications of this kind of behavior?

I'm not so sure. Maybe I'm getting this half confused with Kindle deleting people's books.

It's kind of an important distinction. The difference between your example bookstore taking books back and a bookstore deciding to simply not sell a particular genre of books.

Seems like typical behavior for Apple. Their initial impulse is always limited consumer options and maintaining autocratic control, which is why I resisted their computers all the way up until Vista made continued patronage of Microsoft impossible. However, if enough consumers complain, they usually give in, after a suitable face-saving delay.

I know, but I'd think SG would want to go through the official app store.

FUCK apple, release an app for Android and not only will it not be removed, it's a better platform too.

It's actually not necessary, as Palm has their app system set up so it's easy to find open source apps.

It does not remove the app from the phone.

That's much better than I'd been thinking it was.

Correct.

You license the right to use stuff if you use iWhatevers, and they can revoke that at any time. Same with software licenses of any stripe.

Or DRM of any stripe. What, you think you have property rights to other people's copyright?

I'm with you, but that's the way Apple does business. We in Software Dev know that, which is ironic considering their first ad was about freedom from corporate domination.

It's still on my phone, and it's still boring.