Somewhat expectedly, Apple kicked out the "I am Rich" application developed by Armin Heinrich, a German software developer, which did nothing except displaying a crappy graphics of a red ruby. The brilliant application cost $1,000, which is the maximum amount allowed by Apple, and nine buyers have acquired it during the first 24 hours of availability.

The brilliant scam would have probably brought hundreds of thousands to Armin Heinrich, as there are apparently many fools who would pay $1,000 for a mediocre screensaver among iPhone users. However, it appears that Apple did not want to be associated with ripping people off (there are also reports that people bought it by mistake). It appears that of the nine buyers, two bought it by mistake or so they claim.

As a result, the "I am Rich" application disappeared without a trace, without any official reason, Apple-style.

Heirnrich told the LA Times that he had no idea why Apple had pulled his application, underlining that he was not aware of violating any rules of the software store. The Cupertino company wants to avoid potential lawsuits which could further damage its already fragile reputation, as similar suits have been settled by major wireless carriers for another ripoff scheme, recurring charges for ringtones and other content.

The European Union is even more aggressive, as usual, in protecting customer rights and is cracking down on those selling bogus stuff through cell phones.

Meanwhile, hacker Jonathan Zdziarski warned that the iPhone can "phone home" to tell Apple what apps are installed and the company can shut down certain applications through hidden code. However, other rumors are that the alleged CoreLocation blacklist prevents certain applications from knowing where you are, thus protecting your privacy.