Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode ranges across App Store policy and Apple’s relationship with developers, using Crossy Road and push-notification spam as examples of Apple’s uneven enforcement and untapped platform power. It also covers the emotional and practical burden of maintaining old software and open-source projects, then shifts to a personal PS4 hardware/media-center review. A recurring theme is that Apple’s developer rules, if not clearer and more consistent, may chill innovation and push creators elsewhere.
Main Topics: Crossy Road monetization and top-grossing charts: The hosts discuss how Crossy Road’s ads and in-app purchases relate differently to App Store revenue charts. They note that ad revenue likely does not count toward top grossing, while in-app purchases do, and observe that the game’s monetization has become slightly more aggressive without becoming pay-to-win. Apple’s App Store enforcement and developer relations: A long segment debates Apple’s inconsistent App Review behavior, the disconnect between engineering, editorial, and review teams, and how this can create a chilling effect on developers. The hosts argue Apple has the power to solve problems but often does not act unless it cares deeply. Push notification spam filtering and privacy: The conversation examines a proposed system for identifying spammy push notifications, including server-side scanning or a pseudo-device approach. The hosts argue workarounds would be easy and that Apple’s real barrier is not technical impossibility but lack of urgency and willingness to enforce rules. Open source maintenance and implied support burdens: The hosts compare abandoned or aging app projects with open-source libraries that still attract users, questions, bug reports, and pull requests. They wrestle with guilt over not maintaining older work, whether to leave it online, and what obligations creators owe users when code is free. Developer economics and platform risk: The discussion broadens to whether iOS remains the best platform for ambitious developers. The hosts argue Apple’s restrictive policies, combined with Android’s improving tools and Apple’s new platform demands (like WatchKit), may gradually reduce iOS’s advantage and encourage some developers to pivot away. PS4 as a media box and console ergonomics: The final section is a hardware review of the PS4, focusing on its fast UI, good download experience, but disappointing media-center features. The host likes it as a game console but criticizes the lack of a proper remote, weak DLNA/media support, and awkward physical design/stacking.
Key Arguments: Crossy Road’s ads likely do not count toward App Store top-grossing rankings; only in-app purchases do. Crossy Road’s monetization changes are still mild and do not alter core gameplay, but they are more aggressive than before. Apple could reduce push-notification spam with better enforcement and recipient reporting, but the company seems not to care enough to do it. Even technically clever server-side spam filtering would be easy to work around with silent notifications, local notifications, or encryption. Apple’s App Store enforcement appears disconnected from the engineering teams that create APIs, leading to inconsistent outcomes and developer frustration. A chilling effect on developers may be more harmful long-term than any single rejection because it makes people cautious about using new APIs. Open-source projects create implied support obligations, but those obligations are self-imposed rather than contractual. Leaving old apps/projects in place can be preferable to pulling them, especially if they still work and are free, because users may still benefit. Apple’s control over the ecosystem is powerful enough that it could stop many bad behaviors if it consistently chose to. The PS4 is a solid game system but a weak drop-in replacement for the PS3 as a home media device.
Data Points: Crossy Road top-grossing rank: around 200 to the 60s - The hosts note the game rose from roughly the 200 range to the 60s in the App Store top-grossing chart. Coin doubler price: $3.99 - Crossy Road’s in-app purchase that increases coin earnings and includes a 1,000-coin bonus. Bonus coins: 1,000 coins - Included with the Crossy Road coin doubler purchase. App review wait time: about a week - The hosts say App Review turnaround has generally stayed around a week for years. Oscar walking reward: up to $240 a year - Oscar health insurance offers credit for reaching daily walking goals. Oscar special phone number: 1-844-OSCAR98 - A listener-specific customer contact number mentioned in the ad read. Backblaze price: $5 a month - Unlimited online backup per computer. Backblaze storage: unlimited - The service is described as unlimited and unthrottled. Bugshot revenue: about $3,500 - The app made most of that in its first month, then declined. FastText revenue: under $1,000, likely under $500 - The host says the app likely earned very little over four years in the App Store. FC Model active users: probably fewer than 10 - An estimate of people actively building with the library. PS4 controllers: about $50 each - The host complains about controller cost.
Pivotal Quotes: "Apple has all the power here. They can totally stop this. They're not powerless to, all they have to do ... is care about it a little bit." — Marco / John (discussion): On Apple’s ability to stop push-notification spam and enforce App Store rules. "It's within Apple's power, and they have done it before, to smooth over the worst of these misfires by talking directly to the affected developers until they're roughly satisfied." — John: On Apple resolving App Review conflicts case-by-case instead of fixing structural issues. "I still believe Last Guardian will ship. I still believe!" — John: At the end of the PS4 discussion, expressing hope for the long-delayed game.
Implications: Listeners should expect ongoing tension between Apple’s platform control and developer freedom. The episode suggests that inconsistent enforcement and weak support tooling can slowly erode trust, while open-source and personal software decisions increasingly hinge on sustainability, pride, and time.