ProtonMail CEO likened the company’s business practices to mafia extortion
According to ProtonMail CEO Andy Yen, Apple’s dispute with ” HEY ” wasn’t the first time the Cupertino company forced an email app to add in-app purchases.
Yen said in 2018 the company was forced to add in-app purchases to its app , which had been on the App Store since 2016. At the time, ProtonMail was offering a premium membership via its website but not within. of the app. The version available on the App Store was free.
Out of the blue, Apple told ProtonMail that it would have to add an in-app purchase option to stay in the “App Store”. Additionally, the CEO stated that Apple blocked app updates for a month and threatened to remove the app completely until it complied with the guidelines .
The email service eventually implemented the in-app purchase option but also raised subscription prices by 26% due to the 30% commission that Apple takes on in-app purchases.
Yen believes iPhone maker’s 30% fee hurts privacy-focused apps because it’s hard for a paid app to compete with free apps like Gmail while having to pay Apple
In September, Apple updated the App Store guidelines to allow free apps that act as standalone companions to a paid web-based tool, such as email services and web hosting, should not use purchase. in-app as long as there are no in-app purchases. It also introduced a new process that allows developers to not only appeal to App Store decisions but guidelines as well. In the wake of those updated rules, Yen said ProtonMail plans to remove its premium in-app purchase option.
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