[dejb]

Doesn't it concern you that Apple could shut you down at any stage? They could easily just decide that your app isn't suitable for their store. This would be especially true for industrial applications where there might be good reasons to want to step outside their TOS or guidelines.

[farmerbuzz]

The original author appears to be using an iPhone for prototyping, and clearly states that it is the "tablet form factor" that is making things so interesting. Even if they were using an iPhone there would be no point to putting the software on the app store as it would be useless without the appropriate hardware. (Edit: Just noticed author's latest post that yes they will distribute through the app store and sell an accessory. I stand corrected.)

In general, yes it is a bad idea to use consumer technology for devices with the sort of lifetime you find in the medical industry (often up to 10 years). Because of the high levels of regulation and testing, its not cheap to swap out a component for something equivalent when a manufacturer stops producing the one you originally designed and tested your system with.

[Xuzz]

I'd also be concerned that on Android that the user might have a device that doesn't allow off-Market installs, and then I'd have to use a distribution mechanism I don't prefer (maybe even an alternative market like Amazon was rumored to be creating).

No platform is perfect.

[statictype]

Less of a concern. If Apple decides to go into the Medical gadgets field and updates their terms of service accordingly, you are basically hosed. There's no recourse. Not even an alternate 'off-Market install'.

[Xuzz]

Unless your customer's Android device happens to come from AT&T, where you have the exact same issue.

(This isn't to say I don't agree with you that they shouldn't be able to kick you off, but, you know what? No mobile platform is good in that respect.)

[dejb]

Yes but your program will still work on other android platforms that don't try to prevent non-app software so the software development effort investment isn't wasted.

[replicatorblog]

When has Apple shut down apps in the store? There was the purge of bikini pic apps and the Google Voice issues, but I can't think of another example of good, useful apps being pulled out of the store capriciously.

[mitjak]

Why isn't Google Voice a good example of a good useful app? I wouldn't mind GV at all. Neither would I mind Grooveshark, for instance.

[redrobot5050]

Shut down an app in the store implies they pulled the app or activated their over the air kill switch.

Google Voice was rejected. It was never in the store. (Although, it is now.)