Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on App Store arbitrariness and privacy, with long discussion of Apple’s inconsistent review decisions and the need for clearer pre-approval rules. It also covers a string of tech updates: a $10 MagSafe adapter/AirPlay-like Apple Pay anecdote, Crossy Road’s commercial success without exploitative monetization, PS4 media features, Twitter’s app-scanning ad targeting, Google Authenticator’s UI improvement, Microsoft’s HockeyApp acquisition, and browser efforts to mark HTTP as insecure.
Main Topics: Apple App Store unpredictability and reversals: The hosts argue that App Store rejections and later reinstatements for apps like Transmit, Drafts, and others show a structural problem: Apple often reverses decisions without publicly clarifying the rules, leaving developers unable to predict outcomes. Need for pre-review guidance and clearer rules: A recurring proposal is a limited, support-ticket-like mechanism for developers to ask Apple in advance whether a feature will be allowed, reducing wasted development time and post-release rejections. Privacy and app-level data collection: The discussion about Twitter scanning installed apps for ad targeting expands into a broader critique of app analytics packages and how they violate user expectations about isolation between apps on iOS. Sponsor read and product discussion: Dash, Lynda, Automatic: The episode includes sponsor segments, but they also reinforce broader themes: developer tools, education, and quantified self/vehicle telemetry products that fit the show’s audience. Crossy Road and ethical monetization: The hosts celebrate Crossy Road as proof that a popular mobile game can be highly profitable without predatory free-to-play mechanics, with the developers reportedly reaching seven-figure revenue and retirement-level success. Platform strategy: Microsoft/HockeyApp and Apple/TestFlight: The HockeyApp acquisition is interpreted as Microsoft building a cross-platform developer ecosystem (beta distribution, crash reporting, analytics), while Apple’s TestFlight and its limits are contrasted as both superior and more restrictive. UI/UX improvements and browser security signaling: The show debates Chromium’s proposal to mark HTTP as non-secure, concluding that education alone is insufficient and that safer defaults like HTTPS-by-default matter more than warning labels.
Key Arguments: Apple’s App Store decisions are often capricious and undocumented, which is worse for developers than even an unpopular rule because teams cannot plan with confidence. Reversals of bad App Review decisions are good for the specific app, but bad systemically because they do not create durable policy or transparency. Apple should offer a limited pre-review or advisory process so developers can ask whether a feature is acceptable before writing code. Twitter-like ad SDKs that scan installed apps violate user expectations of app isolation and should be technically blocked or heavily constrained by the OS. Crossy Road demonstrates that ethical monetization can still produce large revenue if the product is genuinely good and appealing. Microsoft’s acquisition of HockeyApp fits a broader Azure/Xamarin strategy to become the backend and tooling platform for cross-platform app development. Showing an HTTP warning is less effective than making HTTPS the default; browser warnings are often ignored, misunderstood, or misleading. Google Authenticator’s move to group codes into 3-3 formatting is a small but meaningful UI improvement because readability matters for time-sensitive manual entry.
Data Points: Upgrade cost: $10 before tax - Casey’s podcast setup upgrade; later clarified as a MagSafe adapter purchased at an Apple Store. Final paid amount: $10.52 with tax - Actual total for the Apple accessory purchase. Crossy Road revenue: Seven figures - Developer reportedly said the game generated enough revenue for them to retire. Crossy Road developer age examples: 24 and 39 - The game was built by Andrew Sum and Matthew Hall, described by age in a linked article. Apple store price floor: Less than $15 is unusual - Hosts joke that Apple rarely sells anything for under $15, making the $10 MagSafe adapter surprising. Twitter devices opted in: Over 20 million devices - A rumor relayed by a 'little birdie' about Twitter’s app-scanning ad-targeting feature. Google Authenticator code format: 2 groups of 3 digits - The app update changed from a single six-digit block to more readable grouping. Lynda.com price: $25/month - Unlimited access to the catalog under a flat subscription model. Lynda.com catalog size: Over 100,000 video tutorials - Advertised breadth of courses across software, design, and development. Automatic discount: $60 - Listener offer price for the OBD car device, down from $80 regular price. Automatic regular price: $80 - One-time purchase price, with no monthly fee. Automatic return window: 45 days - Trial/return policy mentioned in the ad read.
Pivotal Quotes: "The main reason why this is so destructive is that we can't tell in advance what the rules will be." — Marco: Explaining why App Store unpredictability harms developers more than any single rejection. "We always wanted to build a popular game, but we didn't think we could build a game that could generate money." — Crossy Road developer (quoted by John): Used to illustrate that non-exploitative monetization can still succeed commercially. "It would have to be a limited resource, like technical support incidents, because there's a cost associated with it." — Marco: Proposing a pre-approval mechanism for app features before development begins.
Implications: The episode argues for safer defaults, clearer platform rules, and less user burden. For developers, better pre-review guidance and documented policies would reduce wasted work. For users, privacy and HTTPS-by-default matter more than symbolic warnings.