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.
There's Life Beyond the App Store
With the imminent release of Foundation for Apps, we've been chatting a lot about apps and how they're built. We've discussed the topic internally with our team, externally with our clients and with tons of our amazing ZURB friends. Much of that discussion revolved around not just how to produce apps, but what an app really is, how they differ from websites and even the future of where they'll go.
App subscriptions were always inevitable
The future will be paid for in small increments
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…
App Store Improvements - Maintaining a safe and trusted store - App Review - Help - Apple Developer
How the App Store Improvements process evaluates apps, when apps get removed, and what to do if yours is affected.
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...
Evolving AltStore PAL
In April of last year, we launched AltStore PAL in the European Union as one of the first official alternative app marketplaces on iOS thanks to the Digital Markets Act. We launched with just 2 apps — my Nintendo emulator Delta and clipboard manager Clip — yet Apple immediately changed their App Store rules to allow emulators worldwide for the first time ever.
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
Open Market (openmkt.app) - An AT Proto Marketplace
Hey guys, I think it’s time for me to share my project here. I’ve been working on this idea since last year, had a very cold launch in January, and have reached a point of stability where I’m confident the app is ready for the mainstream. Open Market is an aggregator (think of Google Shopping) aiming to help people promote their products, art, or anything they plan to sell. This includes used goods and pretty much anything else. The app creates a personal storefront for every AT Protocol user....
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.
iOS doesn’t support Progressive Web Apps, so what?
One common argument for why organizations aren’t investing in Progressive Web Apps is that iOS doesn’t support them. Hogwash. Here’s why organizations should invest in Progressive Web Apps regardless. Source: Pixabay Progressive Web Apps still work on iOS Just because iOS doesn’t support every aspect of Progressive Web Apps…
App stores could be replaced by having apps published to a PDS, with safety provided using content moderation tooling, search indexed from the firehose, etc. thoufh. We strike aggregators everywhere that they stand.
Gordon
Software industry is probably going to look a lot like the music industry or games industry. Lots of talent, lots of supply, bottleneck shifts to distribution. Aggregators win again?
Post-appitalism rejects the super-app as a meaningful alternative to todays app-based production of software. An app that becomes so big that it starts sucking in smaller apps perpetuates the same dynamics no matter how well integrated the smaller apps can be.
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post-appitalism post-appitalism.app
