I have to say that after listening to your position it seems to me that you could submit your program with your own icons, instead of using Apple's. There may be some legal reason that they asked you to change your submission. Is this totally unreasonable? What if someone used your funny little icons in a way that you felt was unclear to the consumer?

As an iPhone user I have to say that the application environment is a joy to use and the download process through iTunes is fun and very "Apple" in its simplicity. I do not think of my iPhone the same way that I do my computer in terms of downloading software and taking a chance if it will work, or disrupt my user experience. I do expect my iPhone to work as a phone ALWAYS and so far it has.

Please reconsider your position and keep developing for the iPhone. Competition is a good thing and so is a healthy discussion. Absence, however, does not always make the heart grow fonder…