Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on Apple’s newly announced App Store changes—faster reviews, broader subscription pricing, a 85/15 revenue split after year one, and search ads—plus spirited debate over how clearly Apple is defining the new rules. The hosts also discuss WWDC expectations, 5K external displays, Siri, Swift, and personal iPad Pro experiences.
Main Topics: App Store review speed improvements: Apple publicly confirmed much faster app review times, attributing the gains to tool, staffing, and policy changes. The hosts see this as a major, durable improvement and a sign that Phil Schiller is actively reshaping App Store operations. Subscriptions expanded to more app types: The hosts spend the most time dissecting Apple’s move to allow subscriptions for broader app categories. They debate whether the policy truly applies to all apps or still implicitly requires content/services, and whether it will enable sustainable business models for pro apps. 85/15 revenue split after one year: Apple’s new developer revenue share for recurring subscriptions is framed as a strong incentive for long-term customer retention. The hosts note it may especially help apps with ongoing value, though the exact eligibility rules and grace-period details matter. App Store search ads: Apple’s new search ads are discussed as a classier, tightly constrained ad system that could help small developers gain visibility. The hosts remain skeptical that users will reliably recognize them as ads, despite Apple’s careful design. WWDC software-only expectations: The hosts predict a keynote focused on software: iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, Swift, Xcode, Siri, and iPad improvements, with little or no hardware. They discuss possible surprises like an improved Siri, custom watch faces, or developer tools on iPad. Personal iPad Pro usage and productivity: A side conversation explores how the iPad Pro’s speakers, pencil, keyboard, and portability changed one host’s usage habits, making the device more viable for everyday tasks and raising hopes for future pro-focused software.
Key Arguments: Apple’s App Store changes are meaningful because they are the first major, sustained policy shifts after years of little movement. Subscription pricing could unlock sustainable business models for pro apps and apps with loyal users, but Apple’s wording is still ambiguous enough to invite confusion or rejection through app review. The 85/15 split after the first year rewards retention and could make subscriptions much more attractive to developers without changing user-facing prices. Search ads can help developers break into crowded categories, especially when organic App Store search is weak, but their effectiveness depends on Apple’s relevance rules and whether users recognize them as ads. The App Store policy changes are likely to benefit a relatively small set of apps, but those apps may be crucial ones that users value enough to pay for long-term. WWDC will likely be dominated by software updates rather than hardware, with Siri, Swift 3, Xcode, and platform-specific improvements as the main attractions. Even skeptical listeners think the changes are directionally positive because they improve developer sustainability and may produce better apps over time.
Data Points: App review turnaround: 50% within 24 hours; 90% within 48 hours - Apple’s newly publicized App Store review performance Revenue share after first year: 85% developer / 15% Apple - Recurring subscriptions after a customer remains subscribed for 12 months Grace period: 60 days - Pat Murray follow-up on the 85/15 split Search ad placement: 1 ad slot - Apple’s App Store search ads show a single paid result at the top Search ad viewport limit: At most half of the viewport - Apple says ads won’t bury organic results Age restriction for ads: No ads shown to users 13 or younger - Apple’s App Store search ads policy Potential app library size: 70,000 photos - One host uploads a huge photo library to Google Photos while searching for a controller photo WWDC keynote length expectation: Under 2 hours - Hosts discuss fitting multiple platform announcements into the keynote Sponsored search relevance limit: Only relevant queries - Apple says paid results should only appear for relevant searches Potential subscription pricing examples: $4–$20 per year - Hosts speculate on plausible subscription price points for apps
Pivotal Quotes: "50% of apps are reviewed within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours." — Marco/Casey discussion of Apple policy: Describing Apple’s newly confirmed App Store review speed improvements "I would kill both of you for a Thunderbolt retina display at work." — John: Expressing how valuable a 5K external monitor would be for development work "This is a great incentive for pro-app development on iOS." — Marco: Explaining why broader subscriptions could support sustainable pro software
Implications: Apple is signaling a more active, business-model-friendly App Store era. Developers may gain better monetization and discovery tools, while users may see more sustainable pro apps—but also more recurring payments and ad-like search results.