Developers aren’t impressed with Apple’s App Store changes

On Thursday night, Apple announced an agreement with developers involved in a class-action lawsuit that involved several changes to the App Store. As part of the agreement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, Apple has made several concessions that will change the way developers can sell subscriptions and in-app purchases, including allowing developers to promote outside payment options free of Apple’s fees in correspondence with customers.

However, not all developers are happy with the moves. As part of the agreement, Apple also said it will be keeping the App Store terms the same for the next three years, which means Apple’s 30-percent cut for developers making over a million dollars a year stays in place. It’s also not allowing developers to offer alternative payment methods inside apps. Here’s what developers had to say after Apple announced the agreement:

An agreement for one

Overcast developer Marco Arment has been one of the most vocal critics of Apple’s App Store terms over the years and he doesn’t think Apple is giving anything to developers in this agreement.

It’s so funny watching Apple PR’s song and dance, embarrassingly patting itself on the back, after yielding basically zero ground on the App Store’s most anticompetitive rules.

You know this changes nothing. We know this changes nothing. Who are you performing for?

— Marco Arment (@marcoarment) August 27, 2021

Smoke and mirrors

Developer Ryan Jones pored over the terms of the agreement and concluded that Apple didn’t really change much, despite headlines to the contrary.

19. For the record, what I want *for the ecosystem*.

– Apple to act quick, courts will f us all
– 15/20%
– no conquesting
– no sideloading
– no alt payments
– can’t link to payments, can mention
– “report fraud” button
– punishment for rule breaking
– universal paywall

🙏🧡🍎

— Ryan Jones (@rjonesy) August 27, 2021

A different perspective

Tweetbot developer Paul Hadad put the agreement in terms we can all understand.

Breaking: Apple has settled the butterfly keyboard lawsuit!
Key Concessions:
1. Apple will stop making the 2016-2019 MBPs
2. All class members may buy a new Apple laptop
3. Apple will recycle old laptops
4. All class members will continue to receive 5GB of free iCloud storage

— Paul Haddad (@tapbot_paul) August 27, 2021

Spin doctors

David Barnard called the positive coverage of the agreement “PR spin.”

You fell for Apple’s PR spin. All they are doing is rolling back an especially egregious rule that was just added in June. Developers have always been allowed to communicate outside the app about off-app-store payments https://t.co/P6G11MBGUc

— David Barnard (@drbarnard) August 27, 2021

Missing the point

New York Times Silicon Valley reporter Jack Nicas agrees that very little has changed for Apple’s developers as part of this agreement.

I really disagree with the framing around the tech press tonight that Apple's new settlement with developers represents a big concession.

I don't see how this changes much. Some companies pretty much already do what Apple says it is suddenly allowing.https://t.co/QyZr3MHc3o

— Jack Nicas (@jacknicas) August 27, 2021

The fight continues

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney vows to continue fighting Apple’s App Store terms—which probably means Fortnite isn’t returning anytime soon.

The lawsuit Apple settled today was the developer class action suit, not our Epic v Apple case. We are fighting on. https://t.co/giy8ALKELG

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 27, 2021

from Macworld.com https://ift.tt/38jUBNW