WordPressiOS Locked by App Store • Hacker News Board

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#61

Post by rewq4321 » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:31 PM UTC

From the replies (@mysl_co):

> Hey Matt, When I open the Help Center from the app, I can get guidance about upgrading to one of your paid plans. If I tap on “Plans” as seen the screenshot, the app opens Safari and shows the plans. This is a violation according to App Store Review Guidelines.

> Here is the relevant term that your app violated: 3.1.3(a) Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions […] provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase

This is amazing to me. They're essentially taxing hyperlinks in your app? The "directly or indirectly target iOS users" wording seems like it would even cover a mere textual mention of a paid product in the app.

The read anti-trust magnifying glass should be on Apple's lack of support for the PWA-related standards. Google's FUGU program is closing the gap quite fast, and Apple (thanks to their ban on other browser engines) knows they can hold back the tide by dragging their feet on development of the standards. Their strategy is so anti-competitive, and so out in the open that I can't see how they've been allowed to get away with it for so long.

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#62

Post by detaro » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:33 PM UTC

duskwuff wrote: post #49

detaro wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Short version of the usual argument: GPL says you can't add restrictions on what a user can do when you distribute an app. App Store terms of service do add restrictions, so distributing an GPL app through the app store is a license violation.

But in this case it doesn't matter, because Automattic is the owner of the application, not a licensee -- they can relicense the application if they want, and they're implicitly doing so here. It does make the source code effectively unusable by anyone downstream, though.

They don't ask for CLAs as far as I know, so they don't if they take any contributions.

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#63

Post by turblety » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:35 PM UTC

fermienrico wrote: post #10

turblety wrote: post #5

I know I really don't matter to Apple, but this walled garden and app store dictatorship is what finally made me move away from iOS to Android last year. I had used Android in the past, but it was with Samsung Galaxy's which where very bloated and awful when compared to Apple. But when a friend told me that Samsung just ruin Android [1] and I should try an actual Google phone, I bought a Pixel and it's honestly great…

Unpopular opinion that I hold: The walled garden is exactly why I love Apple's iPhone. iPhone keeps the rifraff away, third-party sniffers at check, they've recently added clipboard notification if some app tries to paste random stuff from my clipboard (given that we use it so much for 1Password and other password managers). I absolutely do not trust any third party - there are some insane apps like LinkedIn that tri…

Dangerous stuff still gets in the app store [1]. The correct solution to the problem of dangerous apps, is sandboxing and elevated permissions with user consent. We've solved this in the web browser, let's solve it for apps.

1. https://www.wired.com/story/apple-app-store-malware-click-fr...

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#64

Post by Someone » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:36 PM UTC

floatingatoll wrote: post #16

They're lucky that Apple hasn't yet realized their app is GPLv2. They're going to end up purged from the app store altogether unless they relicense their codebase, no matter what they end up deciding to do with IAP.

Does Apple have any objection to having apps built from GPL-licensed source? I thought it’s the GPL license that has objections against running on iOS because of the restrictions of the platform (people who licensed your app cannot deploy it). Also, GPLv3 is stricter in that than GPLv2.

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#65

Post by Razengan » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:43 PM UTC

What should be the price of accessing a billion users?

Does any platform allow anyone to charge its users without going through the platform?

Nevermind charging, does -any- platform allow anyone to interact with its users at all without adhering to the platform's terms and conditions?

Can we post anything we want on HN? How about spamming Patreon or GoFundMe links on forums and servers? Why not?

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#66

Post by saagarjha » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:45 PM UTC

programmarchy wrote: post #29

strombofulous wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Twitch charges $5.99 for a subscription to a streamer in their app but $5 on their website. Are they breaking this rule too? How are they getting away with it?

Well, Apple doesn't actually allow you to sell an app for $5. You can only choose $4.99 or $5.99.

I'm sure they're really hurting for that cent, you think?

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#67

Post by caycep » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:46 PM UTC

snapetom wrote: post #26

Hamuko wrote: post #4

It's quite amazing how hard Apple is pushing this now with all of the extra regulatory eyes on the subject. I guess they're fairly confident that they're untouchable.

It might be more because Epic is forcing their hand. Up to this point, Apple either just nudged smaller players or secretly negotiated deals with larger ones. With Epic shining a light on this, Apple has to more blatantly enforce this across the board. Now, in a legal setting, Epic can't point out how inconsistent Apple is with this policy.

I wonder how much of this is Phil Schiller retiring and control of the App store passing onto to someone else?

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#68

Post by saagarjha » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:46 PM UTC

YetAnotherNick wrote: post #20

giancarlostoro wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is really sad. On the one hand, sure Apple should be able to make a cut on their app store, on the other hand, they shouldn't be allowed to force apps to do this sort of thing. This will only drive domain prices higher on iOS in order to compensate (in the case of Automattic). If I were in a position where Apple is forcing me to pay a 30% tax, I would literally add "30% Apple Tax" to the check out screen on top…

> If I were in a position where Apple is forcing me to pay a 30% tax, I would literally add "30% Apple Tax" to the check out screen on top of the regular fees to make consumers aware If you don't know that, it is not allowed to sell for more in iOS than in your site, and the app will get banned for attempting that, forget about displaying 30% apple tax to the users explicitly. Edit: Heard from somewhere, likely not f…

I do not believe this is a requirement. You just may not present any other payment option in app.

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#69

Post by saagarjha » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:49 PM UTC

kmeisthax wrote: post #40

YetAnotherNick wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the problem with GPLv2 licensed app?

The App Store TOS specifically prohibits you from redistributing any app you download from it. GPLv2 specifically prohibits that, so any distribution of an app under GPLv2 terms is a license violation. GPLv3 would be even worse as you cannot provide Installation Instructions. However, WordPress/Automattic has copyright ownership, which means GPLv2 terms don't apply. If you get the app from the App Store, then the App…

> The App Store TOS specifically prohibits you from redistributing any app you download from it.

Do you have a link that is recent and actually quotes the current EULA for the App Store? I do not think anyone has reviewed this in many years.

Re: WordPressiOS Locked by App Store

#70

Post by saagarjha » Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 10:49 PM UTC

detaro wrote: post #37

YetAnotherNick wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the problem with GPLv2 licensed app?

Short version of the usual argument: GPL says you can't add restrictions on what a user can do when you distribute an app. App Store terms of service do add restrictions, so distributing an GPL app through the app store is a license violation.

You may opt out of the usual App Store restrictions for your application.