This is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't solve the problem. App developers want clear, fair rules that apply to all apps. Our goal is to restore competition once and for all, not one arbitrary, self-serving step at a time. We will continue to push for a real solution https://t.co/vzIoBpZQr1

— Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) September 2, 2021

…this has almost been the story of Apple over the past 20+ years? (As @gruber talked about in same pod.) In some ways, it really is “thank you sir, may I have another!” It’s pretty clear to many of us what they should do here, I think they fear giving the mouse the cookie.

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021

It took the full weight of a national antitrust investigation to make Apple budge by ‘a single link’ for a /subset/ of App Store apps, a policy change that would require no development or code changes on Apple’s part. We’ve got a loooong road ahead of us pic.twitter.com/JEfSHTXO0m

— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 2, 2021

This train isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

“As Apple antitrust case ends in Japan, a new one opens in India”https://t.co/VcGHuleM9s

— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) September 2, 2021

App Store Rules, reformed by one late night lawsuit settlement press release at a time

— Benjamin Mayo (@bzamayo) September 2, 2021

Apple has offered small concession in easing App Store rules for 'reader apps' like Netflix. The change is set to take effect early next year and will be applied globally, said Apple, which will retain ultimate say over which apps qualify as reader apps.https://t.co/9krwWt8Bfl pic.twitter.com/Z7otbf7hYA

— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) September 2, 2021

They have to know it’s inevitable for a number of reasons now. But I think the slow bleed makes sense from a sheer Wall Street tactics perspective. Build up other businesses as the air gets slightly let out of the ones they have fully inflated right now…

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021

Again with the “let’s add more complicated rules in an effort to stave off antitrust” approach, rather than just ripping off the payment system band-aid: https://t.co/hOwcXYtqUe

— James Thomson (@jamesthomson) September 2, 2021

Bingo.

— John Gruber (@gruber) September 2, 2021

Sure, your “reader” app can include one (1) approved link to your website…but will you be allowed to have any text near that link explaining why someone might want to tap on it, or is that still forbidden? This is where we are, mentally, when considering App Store rules in 2021.

— John Siracusa (@siracusa) September 2, 2021

Similarly, the links won’t open in an in-app web view for friction, er, I mean *security* reasons - to prevent the app from doing anything naughty with the web view.

You either use Apple’s system, or you get punished by a thousand artificially induced cuts.

— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) September 2, 2021

Is India the next domino to fall for Apple regarding in-app payments? https://t.co/RiwBBa4KPb

— Eric Seufert (@eric_seufert) September 2, 2021

The India antitrust case against Apple also alleges that its restrictions on how developers communicate with users to offer payment solutions are anti-competitive, and also hurt the country's payment processorshttps://t.co/qvPeDpFSoX

— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) September 2, 2021

Essentially this should have been done years ago. But, perhaps, given how it’s escalated they fear a full pivot makes them look weak instead of proactive for the greater good of the ecosystem.

— Ben Bajarin (@BenBajarin) September 2, 2021

Ironically, while slowly transitioning into this new & slightly more open world, Apple risks to be seen as acting in an increasingly user-hostile way - as their various existing dark patterns come to the foreground and under the spotlight.

— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) September 2, 2021

Read this again.

What Apple is saying is they want users to keep trusting *Apple*.

The links will be CLEARLY marked as external links to set boundaries & dissuade users from opening them, and they’re gonna open in a private Safari tab for extra friction - er, I mean privacy.?‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/cSXkBIv12u

— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) September 2, 2021

Sort of like how Services growth has taken pressure off of iPhone, which has also been fully inflated and can’t stand (well, presumably) too many more price hikes… Apple is smart around such tactics, as you would hope for a $2.5T company, but there’s some risk…

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021

I believe the 30% and 15% take rates will hold for the next five years.

— Gene Munster (@munster_gene) September 2, 2021

Apple’s selective tweaks to its App Store rules are welcome, but they don’t go far enough. #TimetoPlayFair pic.twitter.com/z3FasGsXNX

— Horacio Gutierrez (@horaciog) September 2, 2021

As they are gradually unpicked, Apple's App Store rules just look ever more ridiculous. https://t.co/nDTHrfedzI

— Martin SFP Bryant (@MartinSFP) September 2, 2021

Amid talk of these concessions by @Apple in the last week, the stock is up nearly 5%, adding more than $100bn to its value.

Gives you a sense that Apple is winning here, not developers, as it offers bare minimum tweaks to policy. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/olWJm0uIHs

— Patrick McGee (@PatrickMcGee_) September 2, 2021

Remember when we could browse the Kindle store in the app (and not in the half-assed “trial way” like now)? Now maybe we can at least get a link to the damn kindle store. Though I bet it’ll only work for the “manage my account” section of the Amazon website.

— Christina Warren (@film_girl) September 2, 2021

I agree with @TimSweeneyEpic's proposal, and Apple's concessions are minimalism, window-dressing. But just like we--who advocate change--have the right to attack Apple's practices in multiple jurisdictions on a diversity of grounds, they have the right to settle case by case. https://t.co/ERj6NpJlvW

— Florian Mueller (@FOSSpatents) September 2, 2021

I'm told companies like Spotify still aren't 100% sure if the new App Store rules will let them offer alternative payments by linking from the app to the website. They're waiting for Apple to update its policies. Press release last night was vague.https://t.co/gjTpVkFlLU

— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) September 2, 2021

At the same time, Japan's announcement makes it pretty clear developers will be able to offer alternative forms of payment outside the App Store https://t.co/a0mhDM74pX

— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) September 2, 2021

In the end, the vast majority of users will stay within the Apple payment and app ecosystem, it’s more secure and easier.

— Gene Munster (@munster_gene) September 2, 2021

Yeah I just wonder how they’re gaming out the version where they are forced into drastic changes that undercut a $15-$20b business. Do they think that’s inevitable and they’re just wringing it out? Or do they think they can stave it off indefinitely?

— Peter Kafka (@pkafka) September 2, 2021

"Which echos @daringfireball's point that it's astounding Apple let things get this far. Why are they risking antitrust scrutiny around the world, as well as setting fire to their relationship with developers, over a minority part of the business?" https://t.co/S1Px2XQoMj

— DHH (@dhh) September 2, 2021

There are just as many questions as answers:

- Does Apple still get to define “reader” app by fiat?
- Can apps explicitly mention payment or price or is that muzzled?
- One link - where does it go? Are there rules?https://t.co/KuKgj9dXuW

— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) September 2, 2021

To be clear, I totally agree with this (as stated in recent writing and pod with @gruber), I’m just trying to get into their mindset as to why they’re not doing that. And I think it’s just stalling… The risk, as you’re alluding to, is pissing off devs to where they walk but…

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021

Yeah, that’s a fair read. Using these settlements to do the bare minimum while *appearing* to be yielding (which they are here a bit, but they could give on so much more, per your point!).

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021

Let’s start by framing how much of Apple’s business is impacted. This is related to the services business which is about 20% of revenue. All apps account for about a third of services revenue, or about 7% of revenue, and 14% of profits.

— Gene Munster (@munster_gene) September 2, 2021

New by me —>

Some good news from Apple:

News apps will soon be able to show users how to subscribe *outside* the App Store —

which means they’ll no longer have to give Apple a big cut of the subscription revenue they generate.https://t.co/wViyBahUMw

— Joshua Benton (@jbenton) September 2, 2021