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Tag: App Store

Josh Centers 15 comments

Apple Drops App Store Commission to 15% for Small Developers

At the start of 2021, Apple will open a new program that promises to slash the App Store commission for smaller developers in half.

Josh Centers 91 comments

Your Thoughts on the App Store: Apple Should Change, but Voluntarily

After outlining the major complaints against the App Store, we asked for your feedback on how Apple runs the App Store and treats developers. We received strong answers, some of them surprising.

Josh Centers 9 comments

Developers v. Apple: Outlining Complaints about the App Store

Apple’s App Store policies continue to incite ire from developers and face increasing scrutiny from government regulators. We outline the most common complaints against the company, evaluate them, and propose potential solutions.

Adam Engst 11 comments

Setapp Subscription Service Adds iOS Companion Apps

The Setapp subscription service, which has so far focused on the Mac, now offers subscribers the option of adding iOS companion apps to Setapp-managed Mac apps for an additional monthly fee.

Josh Centers 6 comments

Apple Has Fixed the “No Longer Shared” Bug

If you’ve seen some strange behavior on your iPhone or iPad lately, such as a message that an app is no longer shared or large numbers of apps updating at once, it was a bug that Apple has now fixed.

Josh Centers 8 comments

TipBITS: Quickly Access App Updates in iOS 13

Annoyingly, Apple buried App Store updates in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, using that toolbar spot to promote its Apple Arcade service, but there’s a shortcut to see your updates quickly.

Josh Centers 9 comments

Apple Admits Its Apps Had App Store Advantage

Top Apple executives have acknowledged that Apple’s own apps have enjoyed a search ranking advantage in the App Store. Apple says it has adjusted the search algorithm, but the lack of oversight may have already damaged the company.

Adam Engst 5 comments

iOS App Trackers Are Watching You

Investigative journalist Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post has discovered that numerous iOS apps include trackers that constantly send information about you back to data brokers.

Adam Engst 13 comments

Apple Makes the Case for the App Store

Apple has created a PR page for the App Store aimed at responding to criticism from competitors and politicians.

Adam Engst 8 comments

Supreme Court Rules Apple Antitrust Case Can Continue

Apple has lost its attempt to dismiss an antitrust case that, if the company were to lose, could result in significant financial penalties or force changes in how we purchase iOS apps. Worse, it’s coming at a time when politicians are talking about breaking up powerful tech companies.

Josh Centers 8 comments

Apple Shuts Down Facebook’s Internal Apps Due to Flagrant Policy Violations

After TechCrunch revealed that Facebook was flagrantly working around an App Store ban, Apple has taken the unusual step of revoking Facebook’s enterprise development certificates.

Josh Centers 6 comments

Insights into User Behavior Surrounding Smartphone Apps

Analyst Ben Bajarin teamed up with indie app developers to learn how people discover apps and decide which ones to install. Some of the results may surprise you.

Josh Centers 6 comments

David Barnard Explains How to Game the App Store

Developer David Barnard is tired of scammy copycat App Store apps, and he’s divulging all of these developers’ tricks in an effort to call Apple’s attention to them.

Adam Engst 64 comments

Apple Is Pushing Developers Toward Subscriptions

The App Store drove the price of apps to nearly zero, but it took Apple nearly a decade to respond to the problem by enabling in-app subscriptions. Kif Leswing at Business Insider shares the story.

Adam Engst 17 comments

Pondering the Impact of the App Store at 10

The iOS App Store is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and Apple has posted a self-congratulatory article that gives the App Store credit for everything short of curing cancer. Adam Engst acknowledges the App Store’s success while pointing out that it hasn't been an unalloyed hit.