By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 05:30 PM EST

A number of applicants to Apple's official iPhone Developer program are venting their frustration with the company after having received temporary rejection letters on Friday.

The majority of the backlash, as outlined by sites like ArsTechnica and TUAW, appears to stem from the ambiguity of the non-acceptance letters and a lack of information regarding the specific criteria used by Cupertino-based company to decipher who is eligible for early acceptance and who is not.

"Thank you for expressing interest in the iPhone Developer Program. We have received your enrollment request," Apple wrote in an email sent to the vast majority of those who applied. "As this time, the iPhone Developer Program is available to a limited number of developers and we plan to expand during the beta period. We will contact you again regarding your enrollment status at the appropriate time."

Applicants outside the United States received a different response but to the same result: "Thank you for expressing interest in the iPhone Developer Program. We have received your enrollment request.  At this time, the iPhone Developer Program is only available in the US and will expand to other countries during the beta period.  We will contact you again regarding your enrollment status at the appropriate time. Thank you for applying."

In what may be some condolence to those applying, it's reported that Apple does not appear to be discriminating between corporations and developers of various stature. Instead, the policy appears to be that of gradual expansion during the ongoing beta stage, as noted by MacRumors, the only publication thus far to have claimed knowledge of some developers receiving Apple's official endorsement into the program.

Still, that's left those not so fortunate to wonder what affect their temporary rejection will have on their ability to garner a portion of the $100 million iFund launched by venture capitalist firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to help support aspiring iPhone application creators.

"Got my rejection email, today. Know someone else who did, also," said Chad, a prospective developer commenting on the matter over at iLounge . "Suppose iFund will wanna float any money my way now that apple has ditched me? I doubt it. Ah… thanks Apple."

But are there real grounds for paranoia at this point? Likely no, the publication suggests. It notes that that temporary rejection letters arriving in droves on Friday simply reiterate what was stated by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs last week while announcing the program: that it would be available only to a "limited number of developers" in the early stage, with substantially more gaining their digital certificate and access to the beta version of iPhone software v2.0 as its final June release approaches.