In a move that should please developers, Apple has added the ability to track an
iPhone application’s progress through the review process.

As Wired first noted, Apple’s Dev Center site now includes status updates for apps wending their way through the reviews queue. Apps are now noted as “waiting for review,” “in review,” or “ready for sale,” along with a time stamp.

It’s a small concession by Apple, but an important one in keeping developers in the loop. Some iPhone app makers have complained vociferously about the often frustrating process in which applications are submitted and ultimately approved for or rejected from appearing for sale in the App Store.

Though the store has accepted app submissions for more than a year, it wasn’t until August that Apple made its first public comments on the inner workings of its reviews process. At that time, the company tried to assure developers that 96 percent of all applications submitted were approved within 14 days. But with the 100,000 applications currently available in the App Store (Apple is receiving something like 8,500 new and updated submissions every day), many app makers felt lost in the shuffle with too little information.