Last update before the end: The popular Reddit client Apollo, which will be discontinued on June 30, is available in a new software version. The developer uses the opportunity to sell a wallpaper set to loyal customers and at the same time offers existing subscribers the option to refuse their upcoming refund. Otherwise, this proportionate refund for the remaining subscription period will be made automatically by Apple, all subscriptions concluded in apps must ultimately be made via Apple’s payment interface – and thus run through the platform operator.
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Apollo developers: quarter million dollars in paybacks
He expects these automatic subscription refunds to cost him around a quarter million dollars, explained Apollo developer Christian Selig – and now hopes that at least some of the users will waive this partial refund. The subscription to Apollo used to cost $13 per year, so the refund should be a few dollars for most users.
This option for waiving a subscription refund should be agreed with Apple. It is strongly reminiscent of similar options that first appeared in two Twitter clients: Tweetbot and Twitterrific, which lost their raison d’être practically overnight due to changes in Twitter’s API, were also able to show such a refund waiver after the shutdown.
Protests from Reddit moderators and users
Reddit has made API access for third-party services significantly more expensive and implemented it at very short notice. Twitter’s actions several months ago under new owner Elon Musk apparently provided the blueprint for this. Selig wrote in early June that he could not pay the prices set by Reddit and was therefore hiring Apollo. He also raised significant allegations against Reddit’s CEO that he would spread untruths.
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For a good two weeks, Reddit’s API approach has been causing protests in the community, some of them considerable, and the service’s official app is unpopular, primarily among heavy users. Thousands of forums were temporarily unavailable or were practically disabled by creative forms of protest. Things seem to have calmed down in the meantime, and Reddit is also increasing the pressure on moderators who have not made their subreddits public again.
(lbe)