Following Apple's rejection of the Podcaster iPhone application from the App Store last September, developer Alex Sokiryanksy recently released a program called RSS Player, which was approved for sale on the App Store.

RSS Player, which is essentially the controversial Podcaster application without the directory feature, is designed to play audio files attached to RSS feeds. Once installed, users begin by entering an RSS feed url or OPML URL into the import screen, then the program crawls the feed and displays the items it finds into an easily read table. If the program finds an audio file attached to the feed, it will automatically download the most current one. This makes it easy for iPod Touch owners to listen when they are offline.

Following the Podcaster application controversy of last September in which Mr. Sokiryansky's submission was denied approval for sale on the App Store, Mr. Sokiryanksky released the rejection letter offered by an Apple representative citing that the program too closely mimicked the podcast location and playback functionality found in iTunes. 

Mr. Sokiryanksky then released the following comments per his private web blog which were picked up by assorted Internet news sites:

Therefore, it was denied from sale in the app store. Although my app does allow you to listen to podcasts (like iTunes), it also allows you to download them directly to device and that is something Apple does not offer.

I find this a bit strange considering there are numerous apps that duplicate the functionality of other apps. For example, any calculator app is duplicating the functionality of Apples calculator app. Any app that tells you the weather is duplicating the Yahoo weather app. Any app that let’s you listen to music is duplicating the iPod portion of the iPhone.

There are also several apps that simply allow you to listen to a podcast (Diggnation and Mobility Today just to name a few) that are not denied from the app store.

Apple had nothing in the terms prohibiting developers from duplicating features currently available on desktop application. I followed all the guidelines and made sure everything is in the correct place. Yet Apple denies me because I allow users to download podcasts just like iTunes.

RSS Player is currently available from the App Store and retails for $1.99.