LogMeIn iPhone app developer given direct access to Apple submissions

Clearly it's impossible for Apple to talk on a personal level with its thousands of iPhone developers, but it seems the big sellers might be getting access to technical support on a one-to-one basis.

According to Mike Simon, CEO of LogMeIn - a service offering remote access to PCs - his company enjoys a direct hotline to talk with Apple should any problems arise with its application.

The LogMeIn iPhone application is one of the more expensive items on the App Store, but has proven massively popular with the business community by allowing the device to act as a remote terminal for accessing computers securely over the net.

iPhoneWorld estimates the iPhone LogMeIn app has brought in at least a million dollars, while Simon suggests he knows of at least one other developer that receives the same level of support (though he chose not to name names).

Apple has come under criticism reently for the opacity of its App Store submissions system, and while this news won't reassure the independent developers stonewalled by Apple it's encouraging to know that there is indeed a phone line going into the approval black box at Cupertino.