Apple begins notifying developers invited to WWDC22

Apple is sending out RSVPs to developers invited to attend its first in-person WWDC since the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Google I/O now behind us, Apple’s conference will be the next big event in many developers’ diaries. The annual event is normally packed to the rafters but over the pandemic had been relegated to online-only affairs.

This year’s event is returning to having a physical presence and the company has invited a limited number of developers to...

13 May 2022 | Developer

Apple letter urges lawmakers to reject sideloading bill

Apple has written a letter urging lawmakers to reject a bill that would force the company to allow any apps to be installed on its mobile operating systems.

The letter, addressed to Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and Republican Chuck Grassley, claims the proposed bill will hurt user privacy and security if passed.

In question is the S. 2710 bill that would allow software downloaded from the web or other sources to be “sideloaded” on iOS.

“Sideloading...

4 February 2022 | App Stores

Developers can now create custom App Store offer codes

Apple is finally letting developers create their own custom offer codes for in-app subscriptions.

In 2020, Apple introduced the ability to generate offer codes for in-app subscriptions. However, there were two major limitations: they were randomly generated and were for one-time use.

On the Apple Developer website, the company announced that it’s lifting both limitations so developers can create offer codes like BRINGONSUMMER that can be used for as long – or,...

21 January 2022 | App Stores

Apple vows to collect App Store commission even through alternative payment systems

Apple is being forced to support alternative payment systems in a growing number of regions but has made clear that it still intends to collect a commission.

Historically, Apple has charged a 30 percent commission on App Store sales—including in-app purchases and subscriptions. In 2021, Apple is estimated to have generated 85.1 billion in gross app revenue globally.

Apple has faced more scrutiny than most platform holders due to its “walled garden” that does not...

18 January 2022 | App Stores

App Annie: Users downloaded 230B apps in 2021, spent 3.8T hours using them

A report from App Annie highlights the staggering growth the mobile app ecosystem witnessed last year.

According to the analytics firm’s State of Mobile 2022 report, users downloaded around 230 billion apps in 2021.

Theodore Krantz, Chief Executive Officer of App Annie, said:

“The big screen is slowly dying as mobile continues to break records in virtually every category - time spent, downloads and revenue.”

Chinese users downloaded the most...

12 January 2022 | Android

App Store Connect now shows analytics for in-app events

Developers can now access analytics for in-app events through App Store Connect.

In-app events such as game competitions, movie premieres, and livestreamed experiences can be great ways of driving user engagement. Events can also be showcased in the App Store to help gain new users:

(Credit: Apple)

Measuring the effectiveness of an in-app event has been more difficult than it should be. Apple wants to fix that.

This week, Apple announced that developers can...

7 January 2022 | Analytics

Swift Playgrounds 4.0 removes the need for a Mac to publish apps

Apple has released Swift Playgrounds 4.0, enabling users to build and submit their apps solely using an iPad.

Swift Playgrounds was initially released in 2016 as an educational tool and development environment for Apple’s latest native programming language, which was released a couple of years prior.

The iPad version of Swift Playgrounds arrived first before a macOS version was released last year. However, a Mac has always been required to actually publish an...

17 December 2021 | Development Tools

Developers appear to be losing interest in macOS

Analysis conducted by Appfigures suggests that developers are losing interest in macOS.

The number of Mac app releases has been on a steady decline for years, but Appfigures has noted a rapid decrease in recent months that shows no sign of slowing:

In 2020, developers released 392 apps on average per month. In 2021, that’s dropped to 343 per month.

Appfigures isn’t too optimistic about the outlook going forward and forecasts a drop to the low 200s for...

1 September 2021 | App Stores

Class-action lawsuit could force Apple to compensate users for app prices

A class-action lawsuit filed in the UK wants to force Apple to compensate users for potentially inflated app prices.

Until recently, Apple took a 30 percent commission on all app sales. Most app developers feel the cut is unjustifiable and critics believe that it’s an abuse of Apple’s market dominance.

Apple claims the legal action is “meritless”.

Similar criticisms have been made about other app stores but Apple’s grip over its operating system means...

11 May 2021 | App Stores

Apple is dropping its cut of most App Store sales to 15 percent

Apple’s cut from most sales on the App Store is dropping to 15 percent in January following increasing pressure.

In an announcement on Wednesday, Apple said its new App Store Small Business Program will enable any developer which earns under $1 million in sales per year to keep more of their revenue.

The previous 30 percent cut Apple took from App Store transactions has come under increased scrutiny over the past year. Apple says the “vast majority” of iOS...

18 November 2020 | App Stores