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Protocol just updated their story with this paragraph: >Apple told me that its actual mistake was approving the app in the first place, when it didn't conform

Protocol just updated their story with this paragraph: >Apple told me that its actual mistake was approving the app in the first place, when it didn't conform to its guidelines. Apple allows these kinds of client apps — where you can't sign up, only sign in — for business services but not consumer products. That's why Basecamp, which companies typically pay for, is allowed on the App Store when Hey, which users pay for, isn't. Anyone who purchased Hey from elsewhere could access it on iOS as usual, the company said, but the app must have a way for users to sign up and pay through Apple's infrastructure. That's how Apple supports and pays for its work on the platform. https://www.protocol.com/hey-email-app-store-rejection https://www.protocol.com/hey-email-app-store-rejection

Hamuko 6y ago
>Apple allows these kinds of client apps — where you can't sign up, only sign in — for business services but not consumer products. How does Netflix work on iOS again?
- Despegar 6y ago
  Netflix counts as a "Reader" app. >>3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video, access to professional databases, VoIP, cloud storage, and approved services such as classroom management apps), provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods are not designed to discourage use of in-app purchase. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
  - Hamuko 6y ago
    These categories seem arbitrary at best. Feels like they're more to justify letting big companies do X and force little guys to do Y (since audio/music/video subscriptions aren't really accessible to smaller companies).
  - jedieaston 6y ago
    VoIP apps? How is an email app any different? And Outlook for iOS has an Exchange client (and is aimed at people using Outlook online), but you can’t spin up Exchange in there. (I guess you could hook up Gmail to it too, but that’s not what they advertise it for).
  - armandhammer 6y ago
    So magazines, newspapers, books (written words) + databases and cloud storage are fine? But that sounds like the ingredients of EMAIL. So arbitrary.
- noahmotion 6y ago
  I'm pretty sure you can sign up or sign in on the Netflix app.
  - Hamuko 6y ago
    I just signed out of my Netflix account on iOS. This is what I get: >Trying to join Netflix? >You can't sign up for Netflix in the app. We know it's a hassle. After you're a member, you can start watching in the app. And yeah, obviously you can sign in.
ogre_codes 6y ago
> the app must have a way for users to sign up and pay through Apple's infrastructure. Fastmail offers no such options.
- Despegar 6y ago
  I suspect that's an oversight by the App Review team.
  - ogre_codes 6y ago
    Hushmail doesn't offer IAPs either, in fact it expressly says "Requires a Hushmail Premium or Hushmail Business account" in the app description.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
armandhammer 6y ago
> That's how Apple supports and pays for its work on the platform. Oh, really? Then what's the justification for not charging a single cent for free apps? It costs Apple just as much to host the Facebook app on the App Store as it does Hey (or any other paid app). This has always been such a disingenuous argument, and there's no justification for Apple's tax to be a percentage of the app price anyway. All this does is punish developers of high quality apps. Why should a developer of a $30 app pay $10 to Apple, but a 99 cent app pays only 30 cents, and a free app pays nothing? That's an insane pricing policy.

Hamuko 6y ago

>Apple allows these kinds of client apps — where you can't sign up, only sign in — for business services but not consumer products. How does Netflix work on iOS again?

Despegar 6y ago
Netflix counts as a "Reader" app. >>3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video, access to professional databases, VoIP, cloud storage, and approved services such as classroom management apps), provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods are not designed to discourage use of in-app purchase. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
- Hamuko 6y ago
  These categories seem arbitrary at best. Feels like they're more to justify letting big companies do X and force little guys to do Y (since audio/music/video subscriptions aren't really accessible to smaller companies).
- jedieaston 6y ago
  VoIP apps? How is an email app any different? And Outlook for iOS has an Exchange client (and is aimed at people using Outlook online), but you can’t spin up Exchange in there. (I guess you could hook up Gmail to it too, but that’s not what they advertise it for).
- armandhammer 6y ago
  So magazines, newspapers, books (written words) + databases and cloud storage are fine? But that sounds like the ingredients of EMAIL. So arbitrary.
noahmotion 6y ago
I'm pretty sure you can sign up or sign in on the Netflix app.
- Hamuko 6y ago
  I just signed out of my Netflix account on iOS. This is what I get: >Trying to join Netflix? >You can't sign up for Netflix in the app. We know it's a hassle. After you're a member, you can start watching in the app. And yeah, obviously you can sign in.

ogre_codes 6y ago

> the app must have a way for users to sign up and pay through Apple's infrastructure. Fastmail offers no such options.

Despegar 6y ago
I suspect that's an oversight by the App Review team.
- ogre_codes 6y ago
  Hushmail doesn't offer IAPs either, in fact it expressly says "Requires a Hushmail Premium or Hushmail Business account" in the app description.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

armandhammer 6y ago

> That's how Apple supports and pays for its work on the platform. Oh, really? Then what's the justification for not charging a single cent for free apps? It costs Apple just as much to host the Facebook app on the App Store as it does Hey (or any other paid app). This has always been such a disingenuous argument, and there's no justification for Apple's tax to be a percentage of the app price anyway. All this does is punish developers of high quality apps. Why should a developer of a $30 app pay $10 to Apple, but a 99 cent app pays only 30 cents, and a free app pays nothing? That's an insane pricing policy.