Sad that you have to be so publicly critical of someone you think is being so publicly thankful.
Moving on... given that he thought it would take 7-10 days I think it was completely appropriate of him. He worked hard and got an extra boost. I'd rather be supportive than snarky.
Especially now (vs. when they first launched the App Store), Apple is seamless and efficient compared to the way mobile apps worked before the open smartphone platforms. You had to negotiate for 6-24mo to get on a carrier's deck.
I wish Apple provided a way to install non-approved apps without jailbreaking, either in some kind of custom security container or entirely at your own risk. I specifically would like to see "adult" (porn) apps allowed (as a free speech issue, and because I think they could be popular), but I'm aware of both Apple's desire to be PG rated and the likely influx of crappy spam which would ensue from porn apps. HTML5 pretty much covers this niche now.
From all the information we have it appears that, indeed, Marco's app was fast tracked for approval. So why are you questioning the sanity of Apple here?
Apple's store is a blockbuster success and follows millenia of tradition in shopkeepers having veto power over what they sell in their shops.
The vast majority of my iPad apps had an update today. It's actually likely that Apple fast tracked all submissions made recently.
And there's quite a difference between fast tracked for approval and no approval process. The former requires the developer to the submit to a black box process, the latter provides instant feedback and full control.
"It's actually likely that Apple fast tracked all submissions made recently."
Or there's a high correlation between the apps you installed and the ones that were fast tracked?
"the latter provides instant feedback and full control."
Sure sing the praises of the wildly successful Android Marketpl-- oh wait they had to rebrand it.
Moreover the difference here is that I am not claiming google's model is insane and has no advantages. There are clearly several strong advantages to it. But let's be clear it also has some huge negatives: security, fraud, average quality, spam, discoverability, etc.
Ticking off one spec where google has an advantage and declaring Apple's far more successful store insane is laughable.
It is possible they could have fast tracked anything that was an update with the word "retina" in the description. As important as it is for app developers to be ready for a new product I'm sure apple even more so wants apps to look as good as possible on a new product.
A sane policy would recognize that he's a popular iOS developer in good-standing, and would not submit him to any review process.