Why is this ImageView not being released?

i have a splash page that is displayed on app startup that my client wants me to keep visible for x amount of time. Everything is working great except the image is never released?

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {    

    NSString *fileLocation = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"splash_page" ofType:@"png"];

    NSData *imageData = [[NSData alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:fileLocation];
    UIImage *launchImage = [[UIImage alloc] initWithData:imageData];
    [imageData release], imageData = nil;

    UIImageView *launchImageView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:launchImage];
    launchImageView.frame = CGRectMake(0, 
        0, 
        [[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds].size.width , 
        [[UIScreen mainS开发者_开发百科creen] bounds].size.height);
    launchImageView.tag = 121;
    [launchImage release], launchImage = nil;

    [self.window addSubview:launchImageView];
    [launchImageView release], launchImage = nil;   

    [self.window makeKeyAndVisible];    
    [self performSelector:@selector(initApp) withObject:nil afterDelay:kInitDelay];

    return YES;
}

- (void)initApp
{
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarHidden:NO];

    UIImageView *launchImageView = (UIImageView*)[self.window viewWithTag:121];
    [launchImageView removeFromSuperview];

    RootNavController *navController = [[RootNavController alloc] initRootController];
    self.rootNavController = navController;
    [self.window addSubview:navController.view];
    [navController release], navController = nil;
}

It is my understanding that removeFromSuperview calls release on the view so this should be released however i can still see a Malloc of 524kb in Intruments Object Allocation tool which im sure is the image. Responsible Library = libRIP.A.dylib and the Responsible Caller ripl_Create.

If i comment out the splash page code and launch the NavController directly i dont have that 524kb.

Any ideas?

Why don't you use the Default.png as your splash screen? Renaming your "Splash_page.png" to "Default.png" will automatically show the splash page on load and then just add UIImageView (with Default.png) to the MainWindow and after x time launch your rootViewController.