Mastodawn

There is no “safety in numbers” with Apple’s IAP demands — at least not until you're the size of Uber/Meta.

The entire market of podcast apps outside of Apple/Spotify is peanuts to Apple.

They’d crush us all without a second thought if they thought we weren't giving them every cent they *deserve* (in their view) for graciously enabling our businesses to exist (in their view) that provide zero value to their platform beyond fees we pay (in their view).

Tim Cook is great
https://bne.social/@james/114345835921533046

James Cridland (@james@bne.social)

Attached: 1 image Hurray for Pocket Casts - they now support the podcast:funding tag. Simple to support, and the fact that they have got this through Apple compliance hopefully means that @marcoarment@mastodon.social might consider bringing it back to Overcast as well. (Safety in numbers!)

bne.social

@marcoarment @james and they act all surprised when a regulator says: “he.. maybe be more open?”

Rob Lisenko Apr 16

@marcoarment Haven't seen a news nugget embued with so many hypothetical quotes since the last time I watched FoxNews. This much acrimony isn't healthy for you Marco. Your half in Under The Radar has been a stream of this pain for the past half dozen episodes.

When I found a good therapist they helped me in recognizing my own cynical frustration, maybe seek one. It feels like you're down a paranoid path that threatens to ruin whatever peace you feel continuing work on your app.

Mutesplash Apr 16

@Roblisenko @marcoarment Maybe things are actually bad?

@Roblisenko @marcoarment Did you tell your therapist how you like to condescendingly gaslight strangers on the internet?

Other people’s frustrations ain’t paranoia.

Rob Lisenko Apr 16

@danielinoa @Roblisenko @marcoarment "The power of life and death are in the tongue" I don't make the rules, just trying to help a guy I hope avoids a path that guarantees frustration.

Janne Ojaniemi Apr 16

@Roblisenko @danielinoa @Roblisenko @marcoarment Being on the App Store pretty much guarantees frustration.

Rob Lisenko Apr 16

@Janne_O @marcoarment
True. I don’t mean to imply stuffing down feelings of objective frustration from Apple, I guess my original post failed to clarify the impact we feel between experiencing a frustrating actions vs feeding what can become an insatiable appetite for invented outrage. We have agency.

This prolonged negativity can ruin any joy he/we have in iOS dev and I hope he talks to someone before this paranoia firmly becomes his reality and he gives up

Janne Ojaniemi Apr 16

@Roblisenko @marcoarment is it “paranoia” if it’s based on reality? Has Apple made developers feel that they are valued or important? In actual policies and action, not pep-talks during WWDC?

Rob Lisenko Apr 16

@Janne_O @Roblisenko @marcoarment It’s not based on reality, just this toxic side of IT culture that confuses cynicism with “sounding wise.” You want to claim that’s all of reality, then I feel bad for you

Janne Ojaniemi Apr 16

@Roblisenko @Roblisenko @marcoarment then we just have to agree to disagree. But we can all see the numerous ways Apple is hell-bent in squeezing every bit of money and control that they can. Which is one of the reasons they are in trouble with legislators around the world.

Rob Lisenko Apr 16

@Janne_O @Roblisenko @marcoarment Yup, let's agree to disgress. Good luck

Thomas Rademaker Apr 16

@marcoarment @james I can’t wait for the cook era to be over.

Jochen Marschall Apr 16

@marcoarment
Now you’ve made Spotify sad

https://mastodon.social/@verge/114347960907287435

SwampYankee Apr 16

@marcoarment Maybe Apple doesn't care, but your customers do like your app and we do support your app. Whatever your feeling towards Apple, your customers would like to feel a bit of their love returned. Perhaps we should not have to wait until the summer for bug fixes? I'd be happy to document bugs, but I get the impression you don't really want to hear from your subscribers.

Squozen 🇪🇺Apr 20

@SwampYankee ditto - I’ve been reporting the same bug with priority podcast sorting since the app redesign. Absolute crickets.

James Cridland Apr 16

@marcoarment Perhaps the thing to remember is that, for example, a podcaster using Patreon on iPhone now loses 30% of their money to Apple these days. So the onus for the 30% IAP is on the platform taking the money; and Pocket Casts and/or Overcast isn’t taking the money here.

I remain hopeful when more podcast apps support the funding tag - it’s good for podcasting in general to lessen its reliance on advertising. Overcast was a trailblazer here, and I do hope to see its return in supporting this.

@marcoarment Would love to hear more about podcast apps and their relationship with Apple, in the next ATP episode!

@marcoarment @james Isn't YouTube the biggest competitor now anyway?

James Cridland Apr 18

@sayrer @marcoarment No. No, it isn’t.

https://podnews.net/article/biggest-podcast-app

(Also, Overcast is the #6 app here - the top independent podcast app.)

The biggest podcast app in the US for consumption - 2025

Is it really YouTube? Or Spotify?

Podnews

@james @marcoarment you’re counting downloads. I would say my usage is 50/50 Overcast vs YouTube. You can't count that.

James Cridland Apr 19

@sayrer @marcoarment You can, with research. But, with respect, *you* are not everyone.