WordPress for iOS Was Blocked From Updating Unless it Agreed to Add In-App Purchases for .Com Plans [Updated]

[falainber]

The Wordpress app linked to web payments for two years on the App. Maybe Apple was very easy on him because that link wasn’t front and center in the App.

Apple didn’t backtrack. The offending issue was no longer a problem in the Wordpress app, and so the problem Apple had with them was no longer valid. Problem solved.

Another day where Apple continues to apply their guidelines evenly, and disgruntled developers take to Twitter to air their grievances and try to win some online support.

Apple: "We have informed the developer and apologize for any confusion that we have caused."
Somehow Apple apology (for their wrongdoing) was not featured in your post. It appears that Apple were overzelous in this case and insisted on WordPress implementing IAPs which is a reflection of their state of mind. Obviously, given a flood of complaints lately from app developers, Apple is going to be careful for a while and avoid potential pitfalls as much as they can.

 

[Abazigal]

Apple: "We have informed the developer and apologize for any confusion that we have caused."
Somehow Apple apology (for their wrongdoing) was not featured in your post. It appears that Apple were overzelous in this case and insisted on WordPress implementing IAPs which is a reflection of their state of mind. Obviously, given a flood of complaints lately from app developers, Apple is going to be careful for a while and avoid potential pitfalls as much as they can.

Which goes back to my earlier point about this being evidence that Apple continues to apply their rules consistently, and is not holding back or giving anyone a free pass despite increased scrutiny after the antitrust hearings.

It’s popular to hate on Apple and the internet is an excellent way to magnify that outrage, but I don’t think what has happened is any different from what Apple has always been doing. It is simply due to the recent hearings that may have given developers more gumption to speak up and even then, these companies have been far from blameless.

For Epic especially, they know this is their last stand when it comes to going toe to toe with Apple. If they don’t act now, and once the news cycle elapses and attention is refocused somewhere else, then it’s pretty much over for them and the App Store will be the law of the land.

That’s all there is to it.

 

[heath_durbin]

weird how the purchasing of a device has absolutely less than nothing to do with this post.

I actually think his point is right on...

 

[PickUrPoison]

I’ve found a few other apps I use are making the same violation Wordpress made. I’m not going to name names, but it’ll be interesting to see if Apple starts enforcing the rules more consistently. (Somehow I doubt it)

It probably depends on whether it’s brought to Apple’s attention (they miss things occasionally during the review process).

btw apps that cheat are sometimes reported by their competitors ?

 

[the8thark]

Lol this is such a terrible take, seeing as how you can get cheese (groceries, etc) from other places, but you can only get those apps on IOS from the app store. Good try defending apple though... I am sure they will give you a $1.00 off coupon on the next iPhone for being such a blindly loyal fan....

If you only have your app on the iOS app store, that's the developer's choice. There are other app stores out there to put your app on. Just like there are other grocery stores to buy your cheese from. It's up to each individual supplier or developer to devide how many stores they want their product in.

 

[the8thark]

btw apps that cheat are sometimes reported by their competitors ?

Good compettion keeps their competitiors honest. When both sides are keeping each other honest, then we have a thriving system.

 

[the8thark]

Is xbox a phone? Can you carry it with you? You seemingly accept the constraints imposed on you by Apple too easily.

Is the Xbox marketplace a store in which you can buy games to play on a piece of hardware you bought?
The iOS store is the same thing. The only difference is the iOS store doesn't have games as it's main focus. it has other apps too.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Good compettion keeps their competitiors honest. When both sides are keeping each other honest, then we have a thriving system.

Maybe WP pissed off a competitor, or a customer(!).

Or maybe Apple changed the method for detecting this type of violation and it’s just harder to sneak it through now ?‍♂️

 

[Michael Scrip]

Floatplane is your example?

They should have known better than to waste time building an app if they couldn’t afford the payouts. So why should I have sympathy for Floatplane again?

It was just an example that was fresh in my mind since it happened recently.

Yes... I agree that you should pay the piper if you want to play in Apple's garden... but sometimes it's just not possible.

That's all I was sayin'

 

[Ramchi]

Is the Xbox marketplace a store in which you can buy games to play on a piece of hardware you bought?
The iOS store is the same thing. The only difference is the iOS store doesn't have games as it's main focus. it has other apps too.

Only difference is that XBOX, PlayStation market it as special purpose gaming device and not making phone calls in that unlike iPhones which are marketed as Mobile Phones but start having Game App Stores.

 

[Abazigal]

Is xbox a phone? Can you carry it with you? You seemingly accept the constraints imposed on you by Apple too easily.

Smartphones are not consoles but a marketplace is a marketplace so yes, Apple does get to say which businesses get to exist on iOS

 

[cgs1xx]

Fair enough. If you want access to the biggest and best app store you have to comply with the rules. Developers make a lot of money on the app store.

 

[the8thark]

Only difference is that XBOX, PlayStation market it as special purpose gaming device and not making phone calls in that unlike iPhones which are marketed as Mobile Phones but start having Game App Stores.

Actually the mobile phones have App stores which have all different kinds of apps, one of which are games. The phones don't have specialty gaming app stores.
Also the iPhone is marketed as a phone when in reality it's (these days) a portable PC that just happens to have a qualcomm modem that can make phone calls also.
The app stores of each, be it the eShop or iOS store or whatever are all just app stores. The category each app specialises in (gaming for the console app stores and general, ie everything on rhe iOS app store) doesn't matter here. They are all all stores and all walled in. That's the main point.

 

[deevey]

But @the8thark gave this analogy an A+. That’s gotta count for something.

But you fail to mention that the person who got the cheese for $15 also gave them a great deal on Pineapples which they needed.

You decide you want that deal too and are offering them a lifetime supply of manure .... they didn't need manure, so they refuse.

 

[Dremmel]

Great that Apple sorted the situation, but without the publicity, WordPress would have been stuck in limbo forever. I think small devs would get a "No" and that would be it.

 

[Premium1]

If you only have your app on the iOS app store, that's the developer's choice. There are other app stores out there to put your app on. Just like there are other grocery stores to buy your cheese from. It's up to each individual supplier or developer to devide how many stores they want their product in.

Again, you are not understanding. This is talking about IOS (last i checked there is 1 and only one app store on IOS, not including jailbreak which is another beast in and of itself). Saying, "you have other app stores you can use" is true, but has 0 to do with apps on IOS, since again, there is one app store on IOS.

 

[I7guy]

Again, you are not understanding. This is talking about IOS (last i checked there is 1 and only one app store on IOS, not including jailbreak which is another beast in and of itself). Saying, "you have other app stores you can use" is true, but has 0 to do with apps on IOS, since again, there is one app store on IOS.

There are different narratives flying around in the conversations. One of those narratives are there are multiple app stores to sell your ideas, the ios app store is one of other alternatives. The other narrative is the ios app store is monopoly, which is a legal definition only the judicial system can answer.

 

[the8thark]

Again, you are not understanding. This is talking about IOS (last i checked there is 1 and only one app store on IOS, not including jailbreak which is another beast in and of itself). Saying, "you have other app stores you can use" is true, but has 0 to do with apps on IOS, since again, there is one app store on IOS.

Confining the conversation to the iOS app store only is ignoring the main issue here. If you don't like or refuse to follow the iOS store rules, there are other app stores for the developer to put their apps on. Those app stores reside on other hardware that is not Apple designed though.

If Wordpress doesn't like the rules of iOS, they are free to use other app stores. If wordpress doesn't like the fact there's only one app store on iOS devices, they are free to develop their own hardware and allow many different app stores on it.

Why are all these developers joining the iOS club then afterwards refusing to follow the rules? The same rules they thought were fair and reasonable when they signed up to join the club.

There are different narratives flying around in the conversations. One of those narratives are there are multiple app stores to sell your ideas, the ios app store is one of other alternatives. The other narrative is the ios app store is monopoly, which is a legal definition only the judicial system can answer.

This is one of those cases where the legal definition might end up contradicting with the logical definition. Of cause the other app stores exist out there and are an alternative. Might not be a viable alternative but they do exist. However if the courts deem a single app store on a single hardware ecosystem to be a monopoly then everyone will just have to accept that ruling. It will open up every ecosystem though, including the 3 major consoles to multiple app stores though as well.

 

[chucker23n1]

Why are all these developers joining the iOS club then afterwards refusing to follow the rules?

Because it is impractical not to be on iOS in 2020.

 

[I7guy]

Because it is impractical not to be on iOS in 2020.

The marketshare of Android implicitly says otherwise.

 

[ececlv]

Again, you are not understanding. This is talking about IOS (last i checked there is 1 and only one app store on IOS, not including jailbreak which is another beast in and of itself). Saying, "you have other app stores you can use" is true, but has 0 to do with apps on IOS, since again, there is one app store on IOS.

O
It is really easy for a developer and consumer gain access to another app store. So i fail to see how iOS rules is a legal issue.

 

[Abazigal]

Why are all these developers joining the iOS club then afterwards refusing to follow the rules? The same rules they thought were fair and reasonable when they signed up to join the club.

I see it more as them knowing that they had no choice at the time, so they went along with it. It didn't mean that they liked the rules, but acquiescing was the lesser of two evils.

It's no different from paying your income tax. Everyone knows it's necessary, and everybody wants to get away with paying as little as possible and assuming someone else will pick up the slack somewhere, because it's their money at the end of the day, and better it be in their pocket than someone else's.

There is really no right and wrong in this situation, only the law, and what people can and cannot get away with.

If anyone has a grievance and wants to air it, now is the time to do so, while the spotlight is on Apple. Give it another few weeks, the spotlight will be shone somewhere else, and any subsequent complaints will simply be lost in the wind.

 

[chucker23n1]

The marketshare of Android implicitly says otherwise.

A duopoly is still a problematic market.

 

[I7guy]

A duopoly is still a problematic market.

That's for the courts to decide. Granted the barrier of entry is high, but it is not a legal barrier.

 

[chucker23n1]

That's for the courts to decide. Granted the barrier of entry is high, but it is not a legal barrier.

Right. I’m just saying it’s disingenuous to ask, “well, why are they on the App Store if they don’t like its policies?” Because it’s an almost unavoidable platform is why.