RaceSplitter rejected after three years for using a slider control

That is pretty lame. But perhaps if it was revised to have the user slide vertically instead of the normal direction it won't be an issue. Or use two buttons and make the user press both of them to start.

I agree that Apple is being silly here, but they might have had to tell too many developers to not use the slider like that; other devs who really were trying to add a misleading experience. They don't want to be seen as applying the rule inconsistently.

They reserve the right to use the slider when they re-implement your nice app as their own native stopwatch.

It's the flipside of the android 'anything goes' mindset. But the Apple appstore seems to make more money for developers than the android store does, based on reports, so I am wondering if this kind of thing helps or hurts.

I think in 7 years there will be no such thing as "independent app developers". Other than games perhaps. Hopefully by then the browsers will be capable enough.