I sent this proposal off to Tim Cook a few minutes ago:

Hi Tim

If I correctly understand the Lodsys in-app purchase issue, how’s this for a simple solution:

Lodsys says Apple can’t transfer its license to developers. Fine. Don’t.

Apple should create an application (Apple Purchase Application or APA) that does the buying for developers. That is, developer would not contact store for purchases, but instead simply pass off some identifying data to the APA. The APA contacts the store, and feeds the data back to the developer’s app on the iOS device. That way, the developer is not “violating” the Lodsys patent, and Apple is simply using its own license, which Lodsys does not contest.

Besides providing an immediate solution, in the short and long run, this simplification is likely to help both Apple and the developers by providing a more simple dev interface, and providing Apple more control over how it’s servers are accessed.

Regards
Tracy Valleau