Yes, Apple could have a cleaner process. Here's an example:
1) First submit application spec. The spec must get approved. That way you know the basic idea is fine.
2) Have a clear set of requirements -- largely automatable. MS does this for logo requirements and for the consoles. Devs can test against this even before submitting. This would be things like battery consumption, CPU utilization, stress, etc...
3) Apple has discretion to block apps for extenuating circumstances -- this should be rare, like an App not implementing the spec at all.
This would lead to even greater quality, decreased uncertainty, and increased transparency.
Your kidding right? No company in their right mind is going to submit an application spec for their app to Apple before they have a releasable app. You don't give your unique product/idea away to someone with a vested interest in perhaps beating you to the punch with it. If Apple wasn't in the Mobile Apps business it might fly but they are in that business and giving them an application spec really wouldn't be wise.
No, I'm not kidding. This is largely what goes on with consoles today anyways.
But in any case, this is Apple's appstore, you have to go through them anyways. If Apple wants to steal your idea, what is to stop them from stealing it after you've written it and submit it.
In fact, its even worse the way it is today, because they can hold on to your app for months before approving/denying it. And then they can reject it, and then the next day release their application, which they built from reverse-engineering your application.
At least with the spec, you describe the user scenario, but they'd still have to figure out how to implement it.
But lets be clear, in any case where Apple owns the key to app store entry you're vulnerable to them stealing your ideas or even implementation.
Ideas are worthless. It's execution that counts. Examples of "ideas" that were won by the best execution include:
Google (search)
Facebook (social network)
Microsoft Word (word processing)
Photoshop (image manipulation)
iPod (mp3 players)
iPhone (smartphones)
Each of these "ideas" had competitors in the market before them, and each managed to blow the competition away by better execution. This is the reasoning behind VCs not signing NDAs, and entrepreneurs accepting this.
1) First submit application spec. The spec must get approved. That way you know the basic idea is fine. 2) Have a clear set of requirements -- largely automatable. MS does this for logo requirements and for the consoles. Devs can test against this even before submitting. This would be things like battery consumption, CPU utilization, stress, etc... 3) Apple has discretion to block apps for extenuating circumstances -- this should be rare, like an App not implementing the spec at all.
This would lead to even greater quality, decreased uncertainty, and increased transparency.