Hulu Plus iOS App Ditches In-App Marketing, Upon Apple's New Rule Request
Many would argue that Apple simply has too much power. Of course, they
probably earned that power, and the developer / consumer support is
obviously there, but there's no question that companies take a little
liberty when at the top. A few weeks ago, Apple changed their mind on
subscription app rules, saying that an app could remain in the store
without a link to an external site, or it could use Apple's in-app
purchasing system if you feel like giving Apple a 30% cut of your
earnings.
Now, Hulu's getting prepared for the switchover, which occurs in just over a week. The company has subtly removed an external link on the Hulu Plus iOS app that previously led people to hunt for Hulu Plus subscription pages. Now, it operates without a link at all. That means that Hulu cannot advertise their external website to get access; people will just have to figure it out. It's a tough call; comply with Apple and risk losing eyeballs, or comply with Apple and start cutting off 30% of your revenue stream.
We doubt Hulu's the only company working through an app alternation right now, and if you're one of those developers...best get cracking!
Now, Hulu's getting prepared for the switchover, which occurs in just over a week. The company has subtly removed an external link on the Hulu Plus iOS app that previously led people to hunt for Hulu Plus subscription pages. Now, it operates without a link at all. That means that Hulu cannot advertise their external website to get access; people will just have to figure it out. It's a tough call; comply with Apple and risk losing eyeballs, or comply with Apple and start cutting off 30% of your revenue stream.
We doubt Hulu's the only company working through an app alternation right now, and if you're one of those developers...best get cracking!
