Twitter rival Damus removed from App Store for enabling tipping without using in app purchase
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey-backed decentralized social networking app Damus will be removed from the Apple App Store due to Apple’s strict payment rule. This is not the first time when Damus is facing the threat to be removed.
Apple had threatened to remove Damus earlier this month over the app’s tip feature that they call “zaps” which lets users provide tips in Bitcoin on posts they like. Apple Store Review wrote to Damus “We noticed that your app allows users to send “tips” associated with receiving content from the digital content creators with a mechanism other than in-app purchase”.
Further, it read “Although tips or donations may be optional if they are connected to or are associated with receiving digital content, they must use in-app purchase in accordance with the guidelines 3.1.1”
Apple has even earlier been accused of prohibiting developers from selling in-app content unless the purchase is channeled through Apple which takes a 30% cut. In a previous warning, Damus was asked to roll out an update within 14 days to avoid its removal from the App Store. And it did, Damus removed the zap button on posts because Apple considered it as “selling digital content”.
And then zaps were only allowed on profile. Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter himself condemned this move by Apple and wrote “Tipping on posts is not selling digital content. Its a form of feedback”.
And once again after further reviewing Apple App Store has written to Damus “We noticed that your app allows users to send “tips” associated with receiving content from digital content creators with a mechanism other than in-app purchase”
Damus has been again asked to revise the app to use in-app purchases and Damus’s Twitter account wrote that it will be appealing this move by Apple.
