"The 'Hottest Girls' app is temporarily sold out," said a note on the developer's Web site, Allenthegeek.com. "The server usage is extremely high because of the popularity of this app. Thus, by not distributing the app, we can prevent our servers from crashing. Customer satisfaction is more important to us than profits."

Word that Apple would allow the application with its photos of topless women to be sold through the AppStore caused a flurry of excitement: Until now Apple has kept a tight rein on what's offered through the Web site. The company, for example, banned the "Me So Holy" app that allows users to superimpose other faces on an image of Jesus. It also dropped (after initially approving) the infamous "Baby Shaker" game application, which showed a crying baby that would quiet down only after violently shaking the smartphone.

So when the "Hottest Girls" app disappeared from the AppStore Thursday, some assumed that Apple's censors had struck again. The application is rated 17+ for "frequent/intense sexual content or nudity." "Hottest Girls," which sells for $1.99, offers more than 2,200 photos of "sexy bikini babes and lingerie models," according to its description.

But apparently that's not the case. "To answer the question on everyone's mind: Yes, the topless images will still be there when it is sold again," said the statement on Allenthegeek.com. The site also said that customers who have already purchased the app will still be able to use it.

Some observers have expected Apple to loosen restrictions on software sold through the AppStore given that the iPhone OS v3.0, which became available last week, includes sophisticated parental controls.