Apple blocked WordPress for iOS updates until it agreed to in-app purchases [u]
Apple reportedly blocked updates for the WordPress for iOS app until it agreed to implement in-app purchases for .com plans.
Credit: WordPress.com
In a tweet on Friday, WordPress for iOS developer Mat Mullenweg said that the lack of app updates over the prior few weeks was due to the app being "locked" on the App Store.
The WordPress for iOS app was updated on Aug. 21 after three weeks of absence, suggesting that the team has agreed to implement an in-app purchase plan or some other remedy. On the other hand, Mullenweg called the requirement "problematic" and said that the team was open to suggestions -- including allowing other in-app purchases or changing the name of the app.
Currently, the WordPress for iOS app allows users to set up custom domains, build websites, and access domain-based email. It, however, has not offered the ability to make direct payments toward paid features.
Further, the .com creation feature is free and assigns users a WordPress domain, not a unique web domain. Apple could potentially be seeking a cut of WordPress owner Automattic's domain name sales as offered through WordPress.com, Stratechery's Ben Thompson noted in a tweet.
It also appears that the app stood in violation of Apple's restrictions on directing users to a website for payment.
It's worth noting that the WordPress for iOS app is a project of WordPress.com. It's a hosting service built on the WordPress backbone but technically separate from the open-source platform at wordpress.org.
The update blocking comes in the midst of a dustup between Epic Games and Apple over the latter company's 30% App Store commissions, as well as broader antitrust scrutiny from regulators in the U.S. and Europe.
Update: Mullenweg confirmed in-app purchases will be implemented within 30 days.
Credit: WordPress.com
In a tweet on Friday, WordPress for iOS developer Mat Mullenweg said that the lack of app updates over the prior few weeks was due to the app being "locked" on the App Store.
Heads up on why @WordPressiOS updates have been absent... we were locked by App Store. To be able to ship updates and bug fixes again we had to commit to support in-app purchases for .com plans. I know why this is problematic, open to suggestions. Allow others IAP? New name?
-- Matt Mullenweg (@photomatt)
The WordPress for iOS app was updated on Aug. 21 after three weeks of absence, suggesting that the team has agreed to implement an in-app purchase plan or some other remedy. On the other hand, Mullenweg called the requirement "problematic" and said that the team was open to suggestions -- including allowing other in-app purchases or changing the name of the app.
Currently, the WordPress for iOS app allows users to set up custom domains, build websites, and access domain-based email. It, however, has not offered the ability to make direct payments toward paid features.
Further, the .com creation feature is free and assigns users a WordPress domain, not a unique web domain. Apple could potentially be seeking a cut of WordPress owner Automattic's domain name sales as offered through WordPress.com, Stratechery's Ben Thompson noted in a tweet.
It also appears that the app stood in violation of Apple's restrictions on directing users to a website for payment.
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. pic.twitter.com/peTcdn5DZo— Mysk (@mysk_co)
It's worth noting that the WordPress for iOS app is a project of WordPress.com. It's a hosting service built on the WordPress backbone but technically separate from the open-source platform at wordpress.org.
The update blocking comes in the midst of a dustup between Epic Games and Apple over the latter company's 30% App Store commissions, as well as broader antitrust scrutiny from regulators in the U.S. and Europe.
Update: Mullenweg confirmed in-app purchases will be implemented within 30 days.
Comments
https://developer.apple.com/terms/apple-developer-agreement/Apple-Developer-Agreement-English.pdf
This particular developer’s disclosure of the requirement violated the confidentiality clause in the NDA.
No, it doesn’t have in-app purchases, but it has external links to your wordpress site’s admin section where you can access the marketplace for domains and plugins.
The antitrust part is two-pronged, Apple disallowing developers from mentioning purchases being available somewhere other than the App Store (i.e. the dev's website), and especially Apple forcing developers to sell the same product for the same price via the App Store as they do on their own site. They aren't allowed to charge 30% more via the App Store to offset the Apple commission. If someone wants to sell something through their app, they are forced to give Apple 30% or they aren't allowed to mention that the purchase is possible at all.
From the Automattic article on Wikipedia:
The WordPress for iOS app has?/had? webviews inside the app which offered paid plans from WordPress.com; and the reason that was "problematic" would appear to be because that would be an end-run around App Store rules about IAP. In that case, the "change" would be that the webview to the freemium plans had to either be removed or replaced to use IAP instead. Surely Automattic had to know this, despite the tweet. My guess after a quick trip around the updated app is that the webview might have been removed.
I'm wondering whether Mr. Mullenweg is relying on the fact that most people don't know the difference between WordPress.org (the open source project) and WordPress.com/WordPress for iOS app (owned by the privately-held, for-profit Automattic, valued in 2019 at ~$3 billion).
Gotta get on the manufactured outrage train when it comes by, it seems.
Edit: Grammar is hard.
If you buy a new domain to create a new website in this app, that is no different to buying bricks and building a house in a game.
So IAP are necessary. This is obvious and clearly spelled out in the developer agreement.
Sounds like the developers of this app wanted to link to outside the app (like Epic did) for digital product purchases.
They may have been doing it for a while without being noticed, maybe not.
The developer needs to either stop selling digital content from within the app or adhere to the rules like everyone else.
You’re right. On the App Store, the developer is listed as Automattic.
As for the 30% and wanting the same price, is that really different than how it works on console stores? Are the games available for purchase on those stores priced 30% higher than for a retail copy? I haven't seen it. Console users expect the price to be the same.
actually, this reminds me: every single iOS app I’ve used (and this one might be one of them) that is intended to be a blogging platform editor ... SUCKS. Abysmal garbage.
There's also no reason why Epic couldn't do the same simple thing, except that they're idiots.