Apparently, Apple's App Store is holding an app hostage. The word "hostage" might be a bit much, but it looks like Apple could be preventing a new update from releasing, according to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. Durov posted to his Telegram, complaining that an update for the app was failing to get pushed to users because it was stuck in a "review process."

He further expressed that the hiccup was "discouraging" and that it not only happens to big developers but also affects small developers too. Furthermore, he stated that the review process that apps go through are "obscure" and often times there is no explanation. Durov goes on a small tangent and discusses how app developers are already hit hard with the App Store and the Google Play Store's 30 percent commission. This story and the frustration expressed are, unfortunately, nothing new. As many developers in the past have complained about the business model of online app stores.

Apple and Google traditionally take up to a 30 percent cut from any profits made in the store. Although Apple and Google both reduced their rates to 15 percent for those under the $1 million profit mark. Despite this, many have complained that the commission fee is still too high. Perhaps the most high-profile case regarding these issues occurred in the summer of 2020 when Epic Games intentionally circumvented the App Store's payment system in favor of its own. While it would take Apple to court on the issue of its app ecosystem system, it would eventually lose. The trial did cause Apple to make some small adjustments to the rules and regulations of the App Store, but ultimately, not much was changed.

While Epics Games did lose the war, it still continues to fight the battle. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has suggested that a new ecosystem be created, one that encompasses apps for all platforms. While that may never come to fruition, there must be a better solution for app developers and the platforms they work with. For now, we will have to wait to see what Telegram has in store with its next app update. Durov might be hyping it up but said that the next update would "revolutionize how people express themselves in messaging."


Source: Pavel Durov (Telegram)