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Apple backtracks on its app-store behaviour

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Over the past few weeks, there has been outcry amongst some developers over the way Apple is managing its store ecosystem, placing overhanded regulation and rules for developers to meet, including withholding bug fixes for non-compliance while expecting a significant cut on the income generated through their apps. As a result of the poor publicity and a mounting EU antitrust investigation, the company has announced two new changes to how its app store will work.

The first is that Apple will now allow developers to appeal a specific violation of an App Store guideline, with a separate process for challenging the guideline itself, though the company has not provided any details on what that process entails. Additionally, Apple says it will no longer delay app updates intended to fix bugs and other core functions over App Store disputes.

Apple also says that two changes are coming to the app review process and will be implemented this summer. First, developers will not only be able to appeal decisions about whether an app violates any of the App Store Review Guidelines but they will also have a mechanism to challenge the guideline itself. Second, for apps that are already on the App Store, bug fixes will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues. Developers will instead be able to address the issue in their next submission.

Along with these changes the company has also finally decided to approve Hey.com’s app store application which had sparked the publicity. The company however has not made any mention of an effort to address its pricing practices which are still at the centre of the controversy and the EU’s antitrust investigations. Hopefully Apple will be able to come up with a pricing model that is fairer on developers on the near-future or probably just be left to pay penalties (which they can easily afford) from their behaviour.

Last Updated: June 24, 2020

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