Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) is already involved in two battles over the phrase “app store”—one with Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), which is opposing Apple’s trademark application, on that phrase, and a lawsuit against Amazon which has launched its own app store, called “appstore.” Now it’s come to light that the company has…

—Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Latitude: Google’s mapping/presence app has finally made its way to Apple’s App Store, after initially getting barred when the service was first launched early in 2009. The app had already been available on Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile smartphones, and has around 9 million users who…

Apple’s ban on some sexually-suggestive content in the iTunes App Store was due to an increasing number of complaints from women’s and parent groups, a top exec tells the NYT. But the policy is selective, as not all apps featuring scantily-clad women have been bannished. For example, Sports Illustrated’s free…

Apparently, Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) is getting more comfortable with its sexuality. Following the approval of the official Playboy app, Playgirl has been accepted into the App Store. Much like the Playboy (NYSE: PLA) app, the PLAYGIRL Centerfold iPhone application has received a 17+ rating for nudity, however, the most daring…

Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) has given the official iPhone Playboy (NYSE: PLA) application a 17+ rating, but don’t expect any nudity here. Apple gives a slightly false impression by warning that the app has “frequent/intense sexual content or nudity,” but Playboy promises that the app obeys Apple’s strict policies on porn…

Hundreds of Koreans are lining up as much as 26 hours in advance to buy the iPhone. The greeting is in stark contrast to Apple’s reception in China, and must be a troublesome sign for Korean handset makers like LG (SEO: 066570) and Samsung, which have battling Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)…

Everyone assumed that the iPhone app launched yesterday, featuring topless ladies was there with Apple’s blessing since the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) added parental controls in the latest iPhone software update. Not true. TechCrunch is reporting that Apple has pulled the app, “Hottest Girls,” from its shelves, but not before everyone…

Well, at least Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) has spelled out what it’s prohibiting from its upcoming app store. InformationWeek reports that the software giant has listed 12 application types that it will ban from the memorably named Microsoft Windows MarketPlace for Mobile, expected to debut in the second half of the…

—Music-Editing Phone: Design firm Pilotfish has shown a concept for a music phone which “will enable good quality recording of three separate sound tracks and allow editing of the music by physically twisting and bending the phone…The phone’s main touch-screen, which is similar to today’s folder phones, consists of three…

—CBS (NYSE: CBS) On IPhone: CBS has released an iPhone application for its TV.com site that plays full episodes of TV series, including CSI and Star Trek. Notes the NYT Bits blog: “The TV.com application appears to be the first with a lot of mainstream network content that can watch…

China has announced it will extend its recent crackdown on online smut (which saw search engines like *Google* and *Baidu* criticized) to mobile phones. “We will incorporate ‘lewd’ messages spread via mobile phones into the crackdown,” the report quoted a joint notice from the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry…

—*Apple* App Store Problems: There’s been a couple of stories about problems with selling stuff on the iTunes App Store, although I don’t think they are specific to that distribution channel. For example, James Bossert was happy that his Whack ‘em All iPhone game had 400 new users in one…

Juniper Research has lowered its forecast for adult mobile service revenues in 2008 to $2.2 billion, 3.5 percent lower than the analyst had previously forecast. Before you go supporting Larry Flynt and Joe Francis in their request for a porn-industry bail-out the market was $1.62 billion in 2007, so still…

Sport Media Group, the company that last year took over ownership of the Daily Sport, Sunday Sport and their online and mobile counterparts, today announced it has breached one of its banking covenants. SMG says its bank has provided a two month extension on its current lending facility to see…

UK pay TV giant Sky is readying plans to offer Sky Bet as a mobile service, which will be an extension of the companies existing online, interactive TV and telephone betting services. The service is set to launch later this month. BSkyB (NYSE: BSY) (which owns Sky and Sky Bet)…

Update: Wall Street is cheering this news in a big way: the stock has been up around 17 percent in mid-day trading. Christie Hefner, CEO of Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) for the last two decades, is leaving the family business, stepping down as chairman today and as CEO Jan. 31,…

As many online publishers have answered the “premium or free?” question by dropping pay walls for ad support, one of the few areas left strictly pay-for - aside from business news - has been adult content. But could that be about to change? London-based Mobile Streams - better known for…

CBS’s citizen journalism efforts aren’t getting press for the reasons the network would like ... instead, there’s more news today about how even adult-oriented content is making its way onto the newly launched iPhone app, AdAge reports. “A visit to CBSeyemobile.com turns up a few photos that walk the line…

Worldwide mobile gaming revenues are on pace to hit $4.5 billion in 2008, representing a 16.1 percent increase over last year, according to Gartner. The industry has struggled a bit over the last few years to hit its stride—and hasn’t seen the kinds of increases that other content has—such as…