If Apple didn't approve apps, would you install them on your only phone?
colinplamondon: The thing everyone misses is that, commercially, the ONLY thing that matters is being on the App Store. It doesn't matter how draconian the rules are, it doesn't matter how long the wait is- these price points ONLY work if Apple is footing the marketing bill.If you are in the Top 5 of any category then you have guaranteed impressions at a very high volume. That allows one to sell an app for 99 cents or $1.99. If you are promoting outside the App Store, your user acquisition cost will be too high to make that price point work, so you'll have to raise your prices. In raising your prices, you'll price yourself out of the Category Top 5's and the Overall Top 100- thus killing the upside.If you're doing medical apps, no worries. If you're doing a book or a game app, however, publishing outside the App Store is suicide, 'free my device!' geekery aside.