App Store antitrust case is ‘firing on all cylinders’

Jonathan Kanter, the head of the Department of Justice's antitrust unit, is intensifying the case against Apple over its App Store policies.

According to the Financial Times, Kanter – who assumed the role in November 2021 – has stated that the investigation is now "firing on all cylinders."

For years, regulators, businesses, and enforcers have sought to dismantle Apple's tightly integrated iOS ecosystem. Despite Apple's staunch defence, recent developments indicate a...

2 January 2024 | App Stores

Mobile game ‘mortality rate’ hits 83% within three years

A new whitepaper titled "Good Games Don't Die" reveals that 83 percent of launched mobile games fail within three years.

The study, conducted by revenue growth engine SuperScale, polled 500 developers across the US and UK to uncover issues plaguing the $96.2 billion mobile gaming industry.

The report unveils a catch-22 where 78 percent of developers prefer building new games despite a critical 43 percent failure rate during development alone.

This trend...

22 November 2023 | Android

Apple will plough $1B annually into AI after being ‘caught off guard’

In response to rapid AI advancements, Apple is set to plough $1 billion annually into the development of competing solutions.

Executives at Apple have reportedly expressed concerns about falling behind competitors, particularly in the wake of innovations driven by AI models like GPT.

CEO Tim Cook confirmed Apple's commitment to generative AI in a recent statement, acknowledging the need to catch up with the evolving market. The company, which was reportedly "caught off...

23 October 2023 | Artificial Intelligence

Apple introduces new metrics in Push Notifications Console

Apple’s latest announcement for developers promises deeper insights into the performance of push notifications for their apps.

The new feature, added to the Push Notifications Console, was initially introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. The feature is now rolling out to offer developers a more comprehensive view of their push notification delivery metrics.

The upgraded Push Notifications Console now incorporates detailed metrics for...

20 October 2023 | Developer

Apple plans to upgrade search capabilities with ‘Pegasus’

Apple is reportedly looking to integrate its "Pegasus" internal search engine into the App Store and other applications.

The report comes via Apple insider Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg.

Apple's venture into advanced search technology began with the introduction of upgrades to its Spotlight search feature in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. This enhanced feature enabled users to search for web results, documents, and surface details from...

2 October 2023 | App Stores

US Supreme Court upholds ‘anti-steering’ App Store rules

In a pivotal decision, the US Supreme Court has ruled that Apple can maintain its current "anti-steering" rules within the App Store while its legal feud with Epic Games continues.

The decision, reported by Bloomberg Law, marks a significant development in the ongoing clash between the two industry giants.

At the heart of the matter are Apple's anti-steering rules, which prohibit app developers from redirecting users to external purchasing platforms for digital goods,...

10 August 2023 | App Stores

Apple will require developers to explain their API use

In an effort to bolster user privacy and crack down on fingerprinting, Apple has announced that developers will soon be required to provide detailed explanations for their app's use of certain APIs before submitting them to the App Store.

The APIs in question are now classified as "required reason APIs," meaning developers must articulate the purpose of these APIs in their apps when submitting them for review. Currently, there are around 30 APIs to which the new rule...

28 July 2023 | App Stores

Developers sue Apple over ‘excessive’ App Store fees

More than 1,500 developers in the UK have banded together to sue Apple, alleging that the tech giant's App Store fees are "excessive" and harmful to both developers and consumers. 

The class-action lawsuit, led by Sean Ennis, a professor at the University of East Anglia Centre for Competition Policy and a former OECD economist, is seeking £785 million (€912 million) in compensation for the affected app creators.

At the core of the legal challenge is Apple's policy of...

25 July 2023 | App Stores

Japan sets its sights on mobile app store monopolies

Japan has joined the growing list of nations pushing for reforms in the mobile ecosystem.

The Japanese government recently held its seventh Digital Market Competition Conference, during which a ‘Competitive Evaluation of Mobile Ecosystems’ report was presented. This report highlighted the critical role mobile ecosystems play in today's digital landscape and emphasised the need for more options and fair competition.

One of the key recommendations of the report is to...

19 June 2023 | Android

Apple and Epic Games ask appeals court to reconsider antitrust case ruling

Apple and Epic Games have requested that an appeals court reconsiders its ruling in the pair’s spat over App Store practices.

The ruling, which upheld a previous order from a California federal court, was the result of a lawsuit Epic Games filed against Apple.

Epic Games accused Apple of imposing unfair requirements on software developers, including high commissions on in-app purchases. 

While the trial judge determined that Apple did not violate US...

9 June 2023 | App Stores