Taking a small step toward openness, Apple rolls out a brand new way for iPhone developers to track the status of apps they’ve submitted to the App Store.While it may not sound like much, the move gives iPhone developers reason to celebrate. Many developers have complained about the difficulty communicating with Apple’s team of App Store reviewers.

In Apple’s Dev Center website, iPhone app developers can view Apple’s progress on reviewing their apps from start to finish. When an app is in line to be reviewed, the status will read “Waiting for Review.” And when it’s actually being reviewed, the status reads “In Review.” Finally, when the app is launched, the status will read “Ready for Sale.” Each status update is accompanied with a time and date. (In the screenshot above, the developer’s name and app were omitted for the sake of privacy, and to prevent violating a nondisclosure agreement.)

The new app review status system won’t address the App Store’s inconsistent approval process, but it should improve relations with developers eagerly awaiting to hear back about their app — whether it’s approval or rejection.

Via wired