To comply, Apple has to somehow open up its iOS platform to allow more competition.

For followers of Apple, there is a beautiful irony here.

Good Standing

Bagus Hernawan / Unsplash

Therules are as frustratingly arbitraryas ever.

White man in white shirt on white phone

White man in white shirt on white phone.NordWood Themes / Unsplash

This is clearly designed so that only large, established companies can take part.

This restriction simply won’t work," writes iOS and Mac developerSteve Troughton-Smithon Mastodon.

This whole story is moving so fast that I’m expecting even more reversals this week.

Man in black clothes on black background using a black phone

Hands using a phone on a black background.Gilles Lambert / Unsplash

Apple’s actions also reveal a lack of confidence.

Apple requires most developers to use in-app purchases for many types of transaction.

iPhone home screen held in a hand

The iPhone home screen.Bagus Hernawan / Unsplash