{"id":29843,"date":"2020-08-21T16:55:55","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T20:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=29843"},"modified":"2020-08-25T15:31:16","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T19:31:16","slug":"wordpress-bug-fixes-blocked-over-iap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/21\/wordpress-bug-fixes-blocked-over-iap\/","title":{"rendered":"WordPress Bug Fixes Blocked Over IAP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matt Mullenweg<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

WordPress has been in the App Store for a long time. Recall that Tim Cook told Congress that Apple was not changing the rules to make more apps subject to fees but had instead “exempted additional categories of apps.” And that in June Apple said that “bug fixes will no longer be delayed over guideline violations.”<\/p>\n\n

Ben Thompson<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

I am admittedly puzzled as to why Apple is denying me updates to the open source app for my open source web site because one user of that app happens to sell domains.<\/p>\n

Also, I thought Apple wasn’t going to hold bug updates hostage anymore?<\/p>\n

WordPress (and the app) are GPL, and App Store TOS and DRM violate GPL. Thus only the copyright holder can submit an app for all of WordPress, both self-hosted and WordPress.com.<\/p>\n

Apple is thus holding millions of websites hostage for 30% of Automattic domain sales 🤷‍♂️<\/p>\n

To be clear, the app doesn’t sell anything, and why would it? It’s an open source project. Apple is requiring the addition of functionality that has no plausible reason to exist.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Fernando Bunn<\/a>:<\/p>\n

I just had a bug fix release rejected by Apple because of an issue that’s there since always and never caused a rejection before. (Basically, if you try to SIWA without internet connection we display a generic error)<\/p>

I sent a new build, asked for an Expedited Review, they accepted the request and it’s “In Review” for more than 24h… <\/p>

[…]<\/p>

They rejected the expedited Review (after 2 days), saying that you can’t create an account using the app. I’m working with B2B apps for more than 9 years and it’s the first time I see this as a reason for rejection.<\/p>

Meanwhile my critical bug fix release is still not approved.<\/p>

And this specific app has the exact same login flow since ~5 years ago.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Maynard Handley<\/a>:<\/p>\n

To add to Ben’s point, there is a more generic problem here of a faction within Apple that have prioritized today’s rents over customer delight.<\/p>

You may not care about App Store in-fighting but you see it elsewhere as well.<\/p>

For example: Why is Apple being such a prick about audiobooks on Apple Watch? Clearly this is something people have wanted since day 1. But Apple DEMANDS that the only books allowed are those bought through Apple. \nAny 3rd party solution is clumsy and sucks bcs is fighting the OS<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n