Hey, the company that recently announced a new feature for its integrated calendar, has faced rejection from Apple for its standalone iOS app, the Hey Calendar. The rejection was due to the inability of non-paying users to perform any actions within the app.
Apple’s App Store guidelines require most paid services to offer in-app payment options, providing Apple with a 30% share. However, there are exceptions for certain types of apps such as Spotify and Kindle. This controversial rule has been the subject of antitrust disputes worldwide.
What makes the rejection by Apple particularly frustrating for Hey co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson is the fact that the company faced a similar rejection almost four years ago for its original iOS app. Hansson expressed his frustrations on social media, describing Apple’s rejection as “bullying tactics” and pointing out that Apple ignored the fact that the original Hey app had already been rejected for the same reason.
Last year, Hey managed to reach a favorable resolution with Apple following discussions with the App Store Review Board. Apple proposed a clever solution where Hey could offer a free option for the iOS app, allowing new users to sign up directly. However, there was a catch – users received a temporary, random email address that expired after 14 days. To continue using the service, users had to make a payment for an upgrade.
Apple has made changes to its App Store rules, providing exceptions for free companion apps to certain paid web services. However, calendar apps did not make it onto this list of exceptions, resulting in the rejection of Hey’s free companion app for Hey Calendar.
Hey has expressed its intention to challenge Apple’s decision, though the specific approach has not been disclosed. Hey and Apple have been contacted for further comments on this matter.
FAQ:
Q: What is Hey?
A: Hey is a premium email service offering new features and solutions for users.
Q: How do Apple’s App Store guidelines work?
A: Apple’s App Store guidelines require most paid services to offer in-app payment options for Apple to receive its commission.
Source: https://apple.com
The source of the article is from the blog revistatenerife.com