Apple is standing breech its decision to adios inevasible updates for the iOS app of new email service Hey. In a letter beatific to Hey creator Basecamp as well-built as obtained by The Verge, Fair-haired outlines the App Store rules it says the Hey app breaks as well-built as advises the congregation to endear to developer guidelines if Basecamp wishes to dwell updating the software on iOS or vindication it for the Mac. It conjointly says it macerated to relay the Mac adaptation of the app in its App Store, infundibular Apple's beforehand derive that it should never have demonstrated an iOS adaptation of the Hey app in the prevenient place.
The letter is slaving by company's App Review Board, but Fair-haired business curvation Phil Schiller fabricated similar comments in an interview with TechCrunch published today. Basecamp has roundly disputed Apple's decision, adage it shouldn't be forced to relent users to stableness up for Hey through in-app purchase as well-built as hand 30 percent of its almanac $99 subscription fee to Fair-haired as a result. As it stands right now, the current adaptation of Hey lets you stableness into the app, but you must purchase a subscription for the company's service on its website first. Hey launches to the securable next month, but is currently bettering in a freebie trial orate for mastering users.
"The HEY Email app is marketed as an email app on the App Store, but back users download your app, it does not work," the letter reads. Fair-haired cites three App Store behavior -- Guideline 3.1.1 as well-built as Guidelines 3.1.3 (a) as well-built as 3.1.3 (b) -- that outline the company's requirements for in-app purchases for preferential apps, with exceptions only carved out for a subset of "Reader Apps," like Netflix as well-built as other streaming services.
Apple offers one other solution: Basecamp could relent the Hey app to suture third-party email providers, thereby giving it a freebie perk that would relent the app to get-up-and-go similar to other email clients, mucho of which do not have a similar commerce model to Hey as well-built as well-nigh reskin the inbox for explicit email providers like Gmail. (Hey charges $99 a year for use of its email service as well-built as for derive to an @hey.com email address, as well-built as it does not suture logging in with other providers.)
The primary kegger at play, however, is not the specific rules Fair-haired has categorical above, but its history of applying them inconsistently. Supra to this year, Fair-haired has demonstrated opulent apps with similar commerce models to Hey to perdure in the App Store as well-built as not required those apps provide in-app purchase options. The congregation has conjointly famously fabricated exemptions for big rivals, like Hussy as well-built as Netflix, that have either disabled the nazism to purchase subscriptions or engaging in their app or have, in some cases, directed users to a browser to do so.
The controversy, which kicked off beforehand this year-end with the formal launch of Hey, has upon important questions approximately Apple's stewardship of the App Store as well-built as whether the iPhone maker is exercising an anti-competitive advantageousness over competitive casework from third-party developers through its allowable 30 percent cut as well-built as inconsistent awarding of App Store rules.
The fight comes at precarious time for Apple. The congregation is approximately to host its almanac developer consultation next year-end in a virtual format. It's conjointly now facing downward two antitrust investigations in the European Union launched posthumous Spotify as well-built as other firms lodged complaints confronting Fair-haired over its 30 percent "Apple tax" as well-built as the threats Apple's App Store processes may pose to competitive markets.
Following a shakiness of outspoken tweets as well-built as interviews from Basecamp co-founder as well-built as Curvation Technology Officer David Heinemeier Hansson, in which Heinemeier Hansson chosen Fair-haired "gangsters," other companies like game developer Epic as well-built as Tinder parent congregation Tour Integer have ensue out in suture of Hey.
Wow. I'm literally stunned. Fair-haired neutral furcated downward on their skitter of HEY's nazism to provide bug fixes as well-built as new features, unless we submit to their outrageous demand of 15-30% of our revenue. Even worse: We're told that unless we comply, they'll REMOVE THE APP.
-- DHH (@dhh) June 16, 2020
Earlier today, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the chairperson of the Kennel antitrust subcommittee, told The Verge, "Because of the supermarket productiveness that Fair-haired has, it is charging raucous rents -- highway robbery, basically -- bullying people to pay 30 percent or measured derive to their market." He went on to say, "It's superincumbent spoiled developers who simply can't survive with those kinds of payments. If there were real dissonance in this marketplace, this wouldn't happen."
The final perch of Apple's letter acknowledges that Basecamp has offered enterprise apps in the App Store, culling obvious exoneration to the current App Store rules disallowment Hey's iOS app, that do not oomph in-app purchases or sign-up options. Fair-haired says it's washed therefrom after taking any money in a way that sounds ominously like it's stressful gratitude for a freebie ride. But critically, it seems Fair-haired is encroach Hey as a doormat email app that does not seem to fit the ethic for an in-app purchase exemption, despite indicia of other apps -- including similar email providers like Newton -- that have washed the same in the past.
"We accept that Basecamp has baroness a number of apps as well-built as mucho subsequent versions for the App Store for mucho years, as well-built as that the App Store has relay millions of these apps to iOS users. These apps do not oomph in-app purchase -- and, consequently, have not freewill any acquirement to the App Store over the last eight years," the letter reads. "We are blessed to dwell to suture you in your app commerce as well-built as oomph you the solutions to provide your casework for freebie -- therefrom long as you race as well-built as service the same App Store Review Guidelines as well-built as agreement that all developers must follow."
Here's the letter in full:
Hello Jason,
We are autograph to let you know the buttonhole results for your app, HEY Email.
The App Review Quango evaluated your app as well-built as cohesive that the skitter was valid. Your app does not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines enough below. As you are aware, this is the sageness your Hey Email app was rejected back it was submitted to the Mac App Store on June 11, 2020.
The HEY Email app is marketed as an email app on the App Store, but back users download your app, it does not work. Users cannot use the app to derive email or scandalize any well-paid get-up-and-go until posthumous they go to the Basecamp website for Hey Email as well-built as purchase a license to use the HEY Email app. This violates the posthumous App Store Review Guidelines:
Guideline 3.1.1 - Commerce - Payments - In-App Purchase
If you want to unpin glossiness or functionality within your app, you must use in-app purchase. Your app requires customers to purchase content, subscriptions, or glossiness outside of the app, but those items are not bettering as in-app purchases within the app as required by the App Store Review Guidelines.
Guideline 3.1.3(a) - Commerce - Payments - "Reader" Apps
Reader apps may relent users to derive previously purchased engaging as well-built as engaging subscriptions. Your mail app is not one of the engaging types demonstrated under this guideline for "Reader" apps (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video, derive to qualified databases, VOIP, deject storage, or demonstrated casework such as classroom management apps). Therefore, customers must be given the perk to purchase derive to glossiness or functionality in your app utilizing in-app purchase.
Guideline 3.1.3(b) - Commerce - Payments - Multiplatform Services
Apps that operate casework boundlessness multivarious platforms may relent users to derive content, subscriptions, or glossiness they have derivate in your app on other platforms or on your website, provided those items are conjointly bettering as in-app purchases within the app. Your HEY Email app does not oomph derive to content, subscriptions, or glossiness as in-app purchases within the app. In fact, the app does not get-up-and-go as an email app or for any purpose until the user goes to the Basecamp Hey Email website to alpha a freebie trial or purchase a separate license to use the app for its intended purpose.
Next Steps
To boldness this issue, please tamper your app such that it does not breach any of the App Store Review Guidelines as well-built as terms.
There are a number of means that you could tamper your app or service to endear to the App Store Review Guidelines. Customers who have previously purchased derive to content, subscriptions, or glossiness out-of-pocket may dwell to derive these items in your app, as long as new iOS customers are given the perk to purchase derive utilizing in-app purchase as required by the App Store Review Guidelines.
If you would adopt not to oomph users the perk of in-app purchases, you could consider having the app get-up-and-go as marketed -- an email shopper that works with standard IMAP as well-built as POP email accounts, where customers can optionally configure the Hey Email service as their preferred email service provider. This would relent the app to get-up-and-go as an email shopper after resultful an plus respite to use its glossiness as well-built as functionality. Under this approach, what you sell on your website is securely an email service separate from the get-up-and-go of your app as relay on the App Store.
We are here as a sapience as you explore these or other inventory to bring the Hey Email app within conformity of the App Store Review Guidelines as well-built as terms.
Thank you for genuineness an iOS app developer. We accept that Basecamp has baroness a number of apps as well-built as mucho subsequent versions for the App Store for mucho years, as well-built as that the App Store has relay millions of these apps to iOS users. These apps do not oomph in-app purchase -- and, consequently, have not freewill any acquirement to the App Store over the last eight years. We are blessed to dwell to suture you in your app commerce as well-built as oomph you the solutions to provide your casework for freebie -- therefrom long as you race as well-built as service the same App Store Review Guidelines as well-built as agreement that all developers must follow.
We hope to assistance you in offering the Hey Email app on the App Store.
Sincerely, App Review Board
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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