It was already hotting up thanks to uncertainty about whether Apple's new clause in the iPhone 4.0 SDK that restricts apps to using C, C++ or Objective C means developers won't be able to use tools such as the Unity engine.

Now however the assumed main thrust - banning the backdoor use of Adobe's Flash technology - has really kicked off.

Platform evangelist Lee Brimelow, writing in what's since been made very clear is a personal capacity, has hit right back.

Apple dictatorship

In a blog post entitled Apple Slaps Developers In The Face, Brimelow calls it "a frightening move that has no rational defense other than wanting tyrannical control over developers and more importantly, wanting to use developers as pawns in their crusade against Adobe."

Pointing out that in the past, the companies have successfully worked together, and that Adobe will continue to support Mac OS X with its Creative Suite product, Brimelow says he's positive that many Apple employees strongly disagree with the move, but that the company's closed culture means no disagreement within the ranks is allowed.

"Personally I will not be giving Apple another cent of my money until there is a leadership change over there," he says, adding "Go screw yourself Apple" for good measure.

Collateral damage

Aside from this outburst, there seems to be growing disquiet elsewhere in the industry.

Unity Technologies' CEO David Helgason has written a blog post explaining he thinks Unity won't be affected by these changes.

He also points out however that the company has previously had to spend time and resources working around sudden changes to the iPhone SDK.

Finally, developer muchosmedia has complained very publicly about the change in the terms of service, saying he won't be releasing games for iPhone anymore.

"The powers that be have yesterday announced that only tools made by god himself shall be deemed worthy to build iPhone apps.

"I'm sorry, but I was built using one such evil programming language which goes by the name of ActionScript," says the iTunes description for game Just Letters.