As promised, Apple will now entertain suggestions from the hoi polloi on how it should run its App Store
- Reference: 1598951704
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/09/01/apple_app_store_suggestions_appeals_reviews/
- Source link:
That means it has [1]accelerated its App Store review process to prevent iOS app bug fixes from being delayed over unresolved store rule violations, except where legal issues are involved.
Non-compliant app revisions that repair flaws should see expedited approval, with the expectation that policy deviations will be addressed in the next feature-oriented update.
The biz also said that in addition to offering a mechanism to appeal adverse app review decisions, part of the new regime [2]heralded at WWDC , it will entertain suggestions about possible changes to its guidelines.
It seems doubtful that co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs would bother with such niceties. Jobs famously repudiated the notion of market research when the Macintosh was being developed by [3]declaring , Henry Ford-style, that "customers don't know what they want until we've shown them."
But that was before Apple found itself in the crosshairs of antitrust-busters in the US, Europe, and elsewhere over its market dominance. With so many eyes on Apple's behavior, the company is suddenly all ears.
Apple created its " [4]We Want to Hear From You " webpage in July, shortly after revealing its planned policy changes at WWDC, which was around the same time Apple's dispute with Basecamp over its [5]Hey email app came to a head. The iPhone maker was surveying developers in conjunction with WWDC and expanded its data-gathering operation into a persistent web form for soliciting developer input.
Epic move: Judge says Apple can't revoke Unreal Engine dev tools, asks 'Where does the 30 per cent come from?' [6]READ MORE
Jeff Johnson, who runs app development biz Lapcat Software, expressed skepticism that Apple's changes will actually improve things for developers. "If the rules are a constant moving target, then how can developers make any plans?" he said in an email to The Register . "How is changing the rules fair to developers who already had to abide by the previous stricter rules?"
He said it looks like the process will continue to be opaque and therefore still subject to favoritism and whim. "Will Apple prominently notify all App Store developers when it alters one of the guidelines, or will only the developer who requested the change get a special exemption?" he said.
The iPhone maker has said nothing whatsoever about its process for turning developer requests and suggestions into active policy or about whether it will even notify anyone if and when it adopts a suggestion. The only way anyone outside the iGiant can gauge Apple's receptiveness to submitted ideas is awaiting some official notice that a policy change has been made at the suggestion of a developer. In other aspects of its operations where it has the opportunity to be transparent, such as its internal Radar bug tracking system, Apple chooses to be secretive.
To judge by the recent conflict between Epic Games and Apple, the iPhone maker isn't looking to shake things up too much. Epic pushed Apple to allow it to conduct digital commerce through its own payment processor rather than Apple's In-App Purchase system and to allow it to run its own online store for distributing iOS apps. Epic CEO Tim Sweeny submitted his suggestion to Apple execs in [7]a letter back in June.
Apple did not welcome that particular request. And when Epic, clearly spoiling for a fight, went ahead and tried to implement it anyway, Apple [8]booted Epic's Fortnite from the iOS App Store and terminated its developer account. That termination [9]completed on Friday.
Until the courts and lawmakers intervene, software developers looking to avoid Epic's fate and legal bills might consider tailoring their suggestions with an eye toward appeasement rather than confrontation. For example, try suggesting that Apple collect a larger share of developer revenue than a mere 30 per cent of every transaction.
[10]Apple's own marketing once endorsed such defiance: "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo." ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=84w3e5bm
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/23/apple_developer_relations/
[3] https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-real-leadership-lessons-of-steve-jobs
[4] https://developer.apple.com/app-store/tell-us/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/17/hey_apple_spat/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/25/epic_vs_apple/
[7] https://twitter.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1296918541627793411?s=20
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/14/epic_games_apple/
[9] https://9to5mac.com/2020/08/28/apple-has-now-terminated-epic-games-app-store-account/
[10] https://fs.blog/2016/03/steve-jobs-crazy-ones/
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: A larger share ?
I don't have a major problem with the 30% rate in the app store, as the justification is that it enables the store to offer free content for users, and zero fees for developers. Developers can choose their own app prices, so the 30% can be factored in if they want.
I think the bigger issue is around in-app purchases, and the distinction of what these are. So if some poor mug wants to buy an upgrade within a game, they also pay the 30% for in-game purchases? I'm not sure whether this is good or bad, especially if the game is offered for free. Fundamentally, how is this different from the Amazon app, which is free, and allows you to buy things without paying an extra apple tax on everything? I'm sure there's a whole load of legal differentiation and technicalities here, and I'm not sure I want to spend any of my time having to understand it all - not unless someone's going to give ME an extra 30% to do so.
Re: A larger share ?
"zero fees for developers."
There are fees for having an account. Not huge. But it's not free.
Here's an idea
Allow other app stores besides the official Apple one from working with iPhone / ipad. (subject to minimum security guarantees), and decouple Apple's app store from the OS so there is no 'default' (similair to the Windows - Internet explorer decoupling)
Then devs not happy with Apple's 30% cut can punt their wares elsewhere, and we'll soon see if the 30% is a fair rate or not.
If Apple opposes or obstructs, App store is declared a de facto monopoly and antitru agencies can limit what it charges
Epic is a total 'no go' area
now that it is subject to legal action.
This move by Apple pre-dates the Epic law suit and is aimed at the smaller developers who in the main seem happy with getting 70%. Apple's charges are out of kilter with other places OR... is it the other places aligning their charges with Apple's?
I've just recieved my royalties (sic) from Amazon. 30% is what I get (less taxes). Hardly worth all the blood sweat and tears it took to write two 100,000 word novels.
If there was ever a monopoly then they are the grand daddy of all of them and by a long way.
Re: If there was ever a monopoly then they are the grand daddy of all of them
Who is? Epic? Apple? Amazon?
If your novels are as well constructed as your comments they must be shit.
Re: If there was ever a monopoly then they are the grand daddy of all of them
ouch!
hoi polloi
There is no need for "the" as hoi means "the" and "hoi polloi" means "the many" or "the people".
Re: hoi polloi
Came to say the same thing. Have an upvote from a similarly ashamed nerd :)
Re: hoi polloi
I believe it's called a double tautology.
Re: hoi polloi
Um, actually... "the hoi polloi" is correct English.
Yes, "hoi polloi" means "the people" in Greek. However, we are not speaking Greek, and the phrase "hoi polloi" has been thoroughly assimilated into English entirely independently of the grammar of its Greek source. And "hoi" does not mean "the" in English. Hence, "the hoi polloi". That's how languages work.
For the same reason, the plural of "octopus" is "octopuses" and not "octopodes".
A larger share ?
Don't give them any ideas, even sarcastic ones.
Apple does not understand sarcasm.