Close on the heels of the iPhone getting its first video calling service from Fring comes another app that enables live video streaming between iPhones.
This iPhone app called Knocking Live Video developed by Pointy Heads Software is not only the first live video streaming app on the iPhone App Store, but also the first app to be approved despite using private APIs.
The iPhone app works with the help of a private API that helps in capturing frames live from the iPhone screen. For the app to work, both the sender and the recipient need to have the Knocking Live Video iPhone app installed on their devices. Once the sender launches the app on their iPhone, they may choose the iPhone user to 'knock'. This triggers a push notification to the receiver and once it is answered, the iPhone app streams video live to the recipient iPhone. The app works via 3G as well as Wi-Fi networks and requires an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS to transmit the video. You may view a demo of how the app works in the video below.
There is an interesting story behind the approval of the iPhone app. You might remember that Apple is against the use of private APIs by iPhone app developers and had recently even introduced an additional layer of automation to the approval process in order to filter those apps that make use of private APIs. Knocking Live Video too was rejected on the same grounds late in October. However, Brian Meehan, the co-founder of Pointy Heads decided to persuade Apple further by writing a passionate email to Steve Jobs. In his letter, Meehan wrote
"I am writing for my fellow developers spending all of their own money, working around the clock just to post their app to your store, only to get rejected in a way that is cold and hopeless is why I am writing you today. Do it for the sake of all developers. Give them a pre-approval process, not a set of guidelines that are subjective and ultimatley up to opinions and feelings. Give them a human to talk to. Imagine building the iPhone for 12 months only to have AT&T send an e-mail with no one to dicussing it saying “rejected due to 3.1.2”".
Within a couple of days, Meehan was contacted by an Apple executive informing him that the iPhone app was approved following instructions "directly from the top".
Though it is definitely an one-off case where Steve Jobs decided to intervene, it does paint a brighter picture for the future. It was only recently that Apple's Phil Schiller tried to pacify frustrated app developers by explaining why the app approval process needed to remain in order to maintain a family friendly App Store.
It finally looks like Apple has decided to pursue a soft policy on iPhone app developers and show a more human face to the app review process. It is still only the beginning and we will have to wait and see if Apple would initiate more steps in order to keep the app developers happy. After all, third party apps are one of the strongest points for the iPhone in its competition against the other smartphones, and Apple would desperately need to maintain the loyalty of these app developers in order to remain on top.
What's your take? Do tell us in the comments.
[via Business Week]
I CANT GET THIS TO WORK EVERYTIME IS A LOGIN FAILED
this doesnt work..
FU to this app, It wont work at all
Couldn't get in to dl cuz i'm running 3.0 does anyone know how to upgrade to 3.1 without going to 3.1.2
to all users let's make a long story short IT'S NOT WORKING….done
Worked on one of my 3g… Login Failed on my wife's.
Using the same login. WTF!!!
Be patient with it and it will start running just fine after a power cycle! Im running it on a stock 3g and a jail broken 3gs
I'm with most everyone else. This doesn't work.
doesnt work. wth is a power cycle
Hi all, at the time of the launch earlier this month, we had an overwhelming response, which lead to a server overload. This is the reason for the delay, crash, etc. Since the launch of the app, we have released 1.1 version update. Do download the app for the app store to be able to use many new features.
Team KnockingLive
i have a 3gs and my girl has a 3g both on 3.1.2 fw, and working just fine….
I was just wondering why does Knocking live not work with jailbroken Iphone?
And has someone come up with crack which can make it work on jailbroken iphone?
Thank you.
I am using the app on a jailbroken phone & it works great. First version didnt seem to work but after the upgrade works great on jailbroke 3gs.
when i start it on my iphone, it says registering device but nothing else happens. What do i do?
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