On Monday Apple announced that they are officially supporting so-called "free trials" for non-subscription apps. The reaction has been a breathless celebration that Apple has finally relented and given developers something we've been asking, no begging, for since the dawn of the App Store.But what
Why freemium apps suck for everyone (and how Apple is killing paid apps)
I work on an iPhone app called Reps & Sets as a hobby project in my spare time. This week, my partner and I came to the conclusion that there is no
Tim Sweeney on Twitter / X
Finally, American developers will be free to compete with Apple’s App Store and payment systems here at home!A solid move to free the United States from the crony capitalist intentions of Big Tech and Big Law. https://t.co/7NXHiQxhEf— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 1, 2025
Paid game subscriptions now live on iOS
Apple has rolled out its subscription model for mobile game developers. Announced in June, Apple is encouraging developers to adopt the new model by offerin...
How We 2x'd Trial Conversions Using In-App Messaging
For the first year and a half Baremetrics didn’t have a free trial at all. Want to try us out? Money please! 💰 Back then only a very narrow band of
App subscriptions were always inevitable
The future will be paid for in small increments
Why we charge for Apps when other apps are free — Chimbori
We respect your privacy, and do not make any money from ads or from selling your personal information. We only make money from Premium purchases.
How churn can limit your subscription business
Or how you can estimate subscription revenue with a leaky bucket... Given Apple’s push behind App Store subscriptions and the number of apps that have made the switch like DayOne [http://dayoneapp.com/], Ulysses [https://ulyssesapp.com/blog/2017/08/ulysses-switches-to-subscription/], 1Password [https://blog.agilebits.com/
Evolving App Store Business Models - David Smith, Independent iOS Developer
I’ve been thinking this past week (as I often do) about the ever-changing landscape of the App Store. This year has seen some of the biggest changes in policy and structure that I can remember. We have new subscription pricing models, search ads, a substantial purge of older apps, new requirements for app names and a variety of little changes to the App Store app itself in iOS 10.
Antitrust, the App Store, and Apple
Apple’s case before the Supreme Court is about standing; Apple has a strong case. That, though, doesn’t mean the App Store isn’t a monopoly — and that Apple isn’t increasing…
Apple Announces App Store Mini Apps Partner Program
Apple today announced the App Store Mini Apps Partner Program, allowing apps that host mini apps and mini games to support In-App Purchases. The program is designed for developers who host mini apps and games within a larger, native app. Today, we're introducing the Mini Apps Partner Program, which expands on the App Store's ongoing support for apps that offer mini apps. Mini apps are self-contained experiences that are built using web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript.
Origin Trials
Chrome origin trials allow developers to safely experiment with web platform features
Microsoft patents system to freeze games and inject ads during downtimes — watching commercials earns ad-free playtime credits
Is this patent a sign of things to come?
Sustainable Indie Software — Helftone
We have seen a large shift in the app economy over the past 7 years which has had a huge impact on indie software. In many ways, we have regressed to state which is simply unsustainable in the long term. If you only look at the highly publicised successes, you might assume independent developers are rolling in cash. Do not be fooled, the situation on the ground, especially on iOS, is actually very different – many indies are struggling to make a living.
Manton Reece - App Store rent-seeking
Excellent article today from Ben Thompson. After laying out in detail why Apple has a strong argument in yesterday’s Supreme Court hearing, Ben moves to the larger question of the App Store monopoly:
Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite - #FreeFortnite
Why you should charge more for your app subscriptions
The conventional wisdom for app subscriptions is to price affordably, like $1.99/month, and hopefully attract lots of subscribers at a low price. Then by having low pricing, fewer will reject the idea of subscriptions, and you’ll make up the difference with volume. But this is the wrong
