The hottest App Store Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Which Steam games 'won' revenue again in 2023?

The GameDiscoverCo newsletter • 255 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Game Development App Store Virtual reality
  1. Steam ranked top games by gross revenue in 2023 based on 'Platinum', 'Gold', 'Silver', and 'Bronze' tiers
  2. Around 35% of the top revenue games in 2023 were new releases; games generally needed at least $20 million gross to make the rankings
  3. Deep Rock Galactic saw increased sales in 2023, success with cosmetic DLC, and plans for spinoff games

Apple's passive aggression

SuperJoost Playlist • 157 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Regulations Gaming Industry App Store Tech Platforms
  1. Apple faces criticism for its response to new EU regulations on app distribution, causing backlash from developers and regulators.
  2. The gaming industry is experiencing layoffs, with a significant number reported within January and concerns for the future.
  3. The US Senate's Judiciary Committee held a combative hearing with tech CEOs, highlighting the need for better dialogue on social media impact and online safety.

Fake LastPass App Made Its Way Onto Apple's App Store, Likely Used to Steal Credentials

Metacurity • 39 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security App Store Cyber Operations Vulnerabilities
  1. A fake LastPass app managed to get onto Apple's App Store and was likely designed to steal user credentials.
  2. Iranian cyber operations against Israel are becoming bolder and more sophisticated, posing risks to American critical infrastructure and the 2024 elections.
  3. The FCC has cracked down on AI-generated voice calls, recognizing them as 'artificial' and restricting their use for non-emergency purposes without consent.

The App Store's Opportunity: Developer Financing

High Absolute Value • 0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🕹 Technology App Store
  1. Apple is unlikely to face serious threats to their App Store business despite reduced commissions in the EU.
  2. Developers could benefit from revenue-based financing opportunities on the App Store.
  3. Apple has the resources and data to offer developers financing options to help them grow their businesses and stay on the platform.

Hey Apple! Apple’s App Store Controversies

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 20 Jun 20
🕹 Technology App Store Policies Economics Antitrust Developers
  1. Apple's App Store policies regarding in-app purchases have sparked controversy, with Hey.com's app being halted for not offering in-app subscription purchases and wanting to avoid Apple's fees.
  2. Apple's 30 percent revenue cut from in-app purchases is seen as a form of price discrimination that could potentially lower iPhone prices by redistributing costs.
  3. Concerns have been raised about developers' fear of publicly criticizing Apple's rules, highlighting a potential issue of stifled voice that should be addressed for a healthy ecosystem.
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Apple makes changes to the App Store

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 09 Jun 16
🕹 Technology Apps App Store
  1. Apple is making significant changes to its App Store, including allowing search-based advertising and reforming subscription pricing.
  2. The introduction of search-based advertising by Apple aims to help consumers find apps that are more valuable to them by allowing developers to signal their app's worth through keywords.
  3. Apple's new subscription pricing model offers a 15:85 split for subscriptions lasting more than one year, incentivizing developers to maintain user engagement and app quality.