App Store

Update (Feb. 27 at 5:53 p.m. ET): Netflix says that this change impacts subscribers of the Basic plan in certain countries, including the United States and Canada.

Netflix is severing ties with Apple’s App Store billing system for good. Netflix stopped allowing new and rejoining subscribers to sign up with App Store billing back in 2018, but Netflix subscribers who were paying through Apple at the time were allowed to continue doing so. Now, that’s finally about to change.

Apple Search Ads is launching soon in more countries, expanding into the Latin America region. Ads will soon start appearing in the App Store for Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay.

That means app developers will be able to market in more than 70 countries through Apple Search ads. With “Search Ads”, ads can be targeted to show up in the Today app, at the bottom of app product pages, at the top of search results and in the Search tab’s “Suggested” section.

Apple has reversed course and is now demanding a 30% cut of donations sent to teachers in the popular Insight Timer meditation app. The change apparently comes after Apple allowed the app to use its own Stripe-based in-app purchase system for over a year.

Apple’s new app store terms have come under fire for what many are describing as ‘malicious compliance’ with the EU’s Digital Markets Act – that is, technically complying with the antitrust law while completely negating its intent.

A new report says that both Meta and Microsoft have now lobbied the EU, asking it to reject Apple’s new terms as “onerous” and “prohibitive” …

Most of Apple’s recently-announced App Store changes are exclusively for iPhone users in the European Union, but there’s one exception. Apple also announced last month that it is relaxing its App Store Guidelines for cloud gaming apps worldwide

This opens the door for services like Xbox Cloud Gaming to finally release a native app for the iPhone and iPad, but apparently Microsoft is not interested in doing that.

iOS 17.4 offers a number of changes for the App Store and iPhone in the European Union. This includes things like third-party app marketplaces and support for alternative browser engines. One byproduct of these changes, however, is that iOS 17.4 removes support for Home Screen web apps in the EU.

Apple has now offered an explanation for this decision, confirming that the omission was not a bug. Instead, it’s because of requirements under the Digital Markets Act.

When Apple Vision Pro was launched in stores earlier this month, the company said that the visionOS App Store would already have more than 600 apps designed specifically for the new headset available on day one. A few days later, Apple has now confirmed that there are more than 1,000 apps built for Vision Pro available on the App Store.

Apple has pulled an app dedicated to streaming pirated movies and TV shows from the App Store. The app in question, “Kimi,” disguised itself as an app that “tests your eyesight.” In reality, it offered unfettered access to some of the most popular TV shows and movies.

“Compare and click on the two pictures to easily improve your observation skills,” the description said.

The issue of misleading apps on the App Store surfaced this week after yesterday’s LastPass incident. The folks behind the popular password manager needed to warn customers that an app called LassPass was pretending to be LastPass. While that’s a pretty egregious example of what can sneak through review, it can be helpful to have more context around how the App Store typically functions.

A Disney/Epic Games partnership announced this week may see the Fortnite developer return to the App Store despite the fractious relationship between Apple and Epic.

The collaboration will see new games featuring characters and stories across a range of Disney worlds, including Walt Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel …

Last month, Apple announced a wide range of changes coming to the App Store in the European Union as part of iOS 17.4, including support for third-party app marketplaces. Ahead of iOS 17.4 being released to the general public in March, Apple is rolling out new features in App Store Connect for beta testing.

Update: Within an hour of publishing, Apple removed the previously reviewed and approved app in question from the App Store.

Is it LastPass or LassPass? LastPass wants you to know that it’s definitely LastPass, and LassPass is completely sus. The imposter “password manager” is undeniably masquerading as the real thing, and it’s live in the App Store as of this writing.

As part of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust legislation, Apple will have to open up iOS to alternative app stores – and the company has released iOS 17.4 with support for what it calls App Marketplaces. But unsurprisingly, Apple wants people to know that the App Store is still the best place to download iPhone apps, and that’s exactly what it’s been telling its users.

Many developers and tech companies didn’t react well to the changes proposed by Apple last month to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust legislation, and Mark Zuckerberg is on that team. The Meta CEO said on Thursday that he doubts developers will opt in to the new “onerous” terms set by Apple in the EU.

Apple recently announced a series of measures to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust legislation, which includes allowing alternative app stores on the iPhone. To make sure developers understand what’s changing, Apple will let them request a consultation on the new guidelines announced last month.

There’s been much discussion of Apple’s proposed App Store changes, and whether or not they will satisfy antitrust regulators.

The EU has so far been non-committal, but has said that it will be examining them closely, and won’t hesitate to “take strong action” if required …

While some may have thought the Epic Games versus Apple battle ended when the US Supreme Court decided the existing App Store ruling would stand, and it would not hear appeals from either side, it quickly became clear that this isn’t the case.

Epic Games has now followed through with its threat to contest Apple’s “bad-faith compliance plan” – which would see the company charge 27% commission on app sales made outside of its own App Store …

Microsoft isn’t thrilled with Apple’s proposed changes to the App Store and the iPhone in the European Union. The company says Apple’s proposed changes are a “step in the wrong direction,” echoing criticism from the likes of Spotify and Epic Games.

There’s another small but notable change coming to the App Store. Apple has revised its App Store guidelines to remove the requirement that apps using third-party log-in options such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter must also use Sign in with Apple.

There is, however, a big asterisk to this change. While developers aren’t technically required to use Sign in with Apple, they are required to offer an “additional login service with certain privacy features.”

Talented GBA4iOS, AltStore, and Delta emulator developer Riley Testut joins us to provide his insightful thoughts about sideloading, alternative app stores, new iOS 17.4 changes to allow app marketplaces in the EU, emulation, and the future of the App Store. Fernando and Jeff also discuss their thoughts on the new iOS 17.4 changes, including features that make their way to all users in all regions.

Update, 7:51pm ET: Apple has updated its System Status webpage to say that Apple Music, the App Store, and several other platforms are also experiencing outages.

If you’re having trouble accessing the App Store on your iPhone or iPad, you’re not alone. The App Store seems to be experiencing an outage, based on complaints from affected users on social media.