Talk about caving to pressure. Apple just reversed its decision on Pulitzer winner Mark Fiore’s iPhone app and not only is offering it for sale, is labeling it “See the app Steve Jobs is talking about.”

 Originally, before Fiore won a Pulitzer, and before the whining began, Apple rejected the app, stating it violated a section of its Developer Program License Agreement. Fiore, an online editorial cartoonist, routinely makes fun of public figures, something Apple doesn’t allow.

 In a post I did April 15, I backed Apple’s decision. Though personally uncomfortable, I felt as a corporation, they should be free to decide, as it was probably safer for its shareholders not to alienate anyone by way of political satire.

 The decision upset the public at large and apparently enough of Apple’s consumer base, to warrant a second look at  Fiore’s NewsToons. Nieman Journalism Labs reports Jobs called the initial rejection a mistake. Now he’s personally endorsing it.

 It’s another example of a corporation looking out for its best interests. It would be poor business for Apple to stick to its original decision when so much noise was being made in all the variations of the media. They flip-flopped, which can easily be interpreted as a sign of weakness. But it’s also a sign of the power they have, the control.

 Jobs never says why the initial rejection was a mistake. And there’s no word if the licensing agreement will be reworded since Apple is choosing to violate it.

 At any rate, NewsToons is now available for 99 cents.

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