{"id":41684,"date":"2024-01-05T15:04:55","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T20:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=41684"},"modified":"2024-01-10T15:23:41","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T20:23:41","slug":"hey-calendar-rejected-from-the-app-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/05\/hey-calendar-rejected-from-the-app-store\/","title":{"rendered":"HEY Calendar Rejected From the App Store"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Heinemeier Hansson<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

We’ve spent the last year tackling the number one request for our email service HEY.com: Adding a calendar!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

David Heinemeier Hansson<\/a> (Hacker News<\/a>, 9to5Mac<\/a>):<\/p>\n

Apple didn’t even bother to give us a reason this time! I mean, at least they’re not saying it’s definitive (yet??), but it’s just so fucking tiring to deal with this bullshit. This isn’t even a new service! It’s a FREE addition to the existing hey.com you let in!<\/p>

All I wanted for Xmas this year was for Apple to stop fucking with developers, trying to turn them upside down at every junction to shake them down. I love Apple hardware, I hella respect Apple Safari, but this monopoly App Store bullshit has got to stop.<\/p>

[…]<\/p>

This is why I’m pushing so hard for PWAs! We’re betting all of once.com<\/a> on that strategy. No native apps, just the very best PWAs you can possibly find. It’s why I have PWA tech as my #1 objective for Rails 8. We need to collectively break free from this bullshit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

David Heinemeier Hansson<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Apple just called to let us know they’re rejecting the HEY Calendar app from the App Store (in current form). Same bullying tactics as last time: Push delicate rejections to a call with a first-name-only person who’ll softly inform you it’s your wallet or your kneecaps.<\/p>

Since it’s clear we’re never going to pay them the extortionate 30% ransom, they’re back to the bullshit about “the app doesn’t do anything when you download it”. Despite the fact that after last time, they specifically carved out HEY in App Store Review Guidelines 3.1.3 (f)!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

That guideline<\/a> says:<\/p>\n\n

3.1.3(f) Free Stand-alone Apps: Free apps acting as a stand-alone companion to a paid web based tool (eg. VOIP, Cloud Storage, Email Services, Web Hosting) do not need to use in-app purchase, provided there is no purchasing inside the app, or calls to action for purchase outside of the app.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

The plain reading of this is that the items in parentheses are examples, not an exhaustive list.<\/p>\n\n

But the whole “the app doesn’t do anything” isn’t even in the formal guidelines!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And, anyway, I thought they satisfied that last time by offering free, temporary accounts.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Jason asked them on the phone: “If we just put all these features in the existing app, is that ok?”. Answer: Yes. So Apple thinks separate apps for iCloud is better for users, but doesn’t want competing services like HEY to be able to do the same? What? Why?!<\/p>

And why do huge companies like Salesforce, JPMorgan, Netflix or Google get to have apps “that doesn’t do anything”, but if you’re a small software maker like us, you can’t?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

drunknbass<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

I built a system that tracked the app reviewers test sessions because we got tired of playing telephone with app review being of no help. Could watch what they were doing and infer what they actually wanted.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Douglas Fischer<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Sometimes I think it must be easier to handle a room full of teenagers then chat with this apple team. They can’t handle even very basic conversations where they clearly are wrong.<\/p>

I can remember a lot of times when I pointed mistakes in their own screenshots. They even sent me pictures of another app to justify rejecting my app.<\/p>

Probably the worst part of being on Apple platform.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Lon Baker<\/a>:<\/p>\n

This is why all my future products will be PWA first.<\/p>

I’ve dealt with the Apple BS for a decade, in minor ways compared to this.<\/p>

It is why I have an Android phone next to my iPhone — never know when an app is held hostage or worse yanked from the AppStore.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Jiri<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

It’s as if a great OS was held hostage by its creators compared to a terrible OS being super-friendly.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I’m not sure that Android is terrible or that Google is super-friendly, but it does seem like Apple is holding back its platforms.<\/p>\n\n

Alex Russell<\/a> (via Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\n

This is the backdrop to the biggest app store story nobody is writing about: on pain of steep fines,<\/a> gatekeepers are opening up to competing browsers. This, in turn, will enable competitors to replace app stores with directories of Progressive Web Apps<\/a>. Capable browsers that expose<\/a> web app installation and powerful features to developers can kickstart app portability, breaking open the mobile duopoly.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n