Another change in policy for Apple regarding the App Store. Some developers said the company began removing applications Apple felt provided “minimum user functionality,” such as one that simply quacked like a duck.

As detailed by TechCrunch “Apple doesn’t want people using native applications for things that a basic web app could accomplish”. The issue has primarily been with iPhone applications built with “templates” that are available from a number of software generating services. Medialets CEO Eric Litman said the change in policy plays into Apple’s desire to control the user experience.

“Apple wants iPhone apps to be superior to Web experiences because they are extremely sticky and drive people specifically to buy the iPhone over competing smartphone platforms,” Litman said. “Apps that are too simple or largely indistinguishable from the Web, other apps or particularly other apps on other platforms send the message to end users that the iPhone app ecosystem might not be particularly special.”

Apple also removed software it felt contained content that was “overtly sexual,” resulting in a purge of more than 5,000 applications from the App Store.

In addition, a number of Wi-Fi scanners were also recently removed from the App Store, though they allegedly relied on unpublished APIs within the iPhone OS software development kit, breaking the terms set forth by Apple for developers.