This. I consider pretty much everything Apple does a fair game except for one thing - access to private APIs for their own products, same products that then compete on the market with the products from developers invited with the expectation to build on the same platform. This single-handly invalidates the entire WWDC effort.
If you want to make sure you have best products then do it through superior product, design and engineering craftsmanship. Don't 'cheat'!
It just does not feel right and it is mind-boggling why is this the case. One thing is to have a say on what the app store fee is and 30% is fine, this is your cost of distribution that you accept. But the existence of private APIs means that whatever you do on their platform comes with a risk of them building a better, more-integrated product simply because they have access to platform features you don't.
This is an incredibly bad position to be in as a developer on Apple platform developing any kind of serious product, let alone a competitor for existing Apple products (like we are doing, crazy enough to be building a Safari alternative).
Apple, open same APIs your consumer apps have and make it a fair game. This will spark innovation, creativity and different ways of doing same things. It is exactly what you should be thriving for as a leader in the industry.
If you want to make sure you have best products then do it through superior product, design and engineering craftsmanship. Don't 'cheat'!
It just does not feel right and it is mind-boggling why is this the case. One thing is to have a say on what the app store fee is and 30% is fine, this is your cost of distribution that you accept. But the existence of private APIs means that whatever you do on their platform comes with a risk of them building a better, more-integrated product simply because they have access to platform features you don't.
This is an incredibly bad position to be in as a developer on Apple platform developing any kind of serious product, let alone a competitor for existing Apple products (like we are doing, crazy enough to be building a Safari alternative).
Apple, open same APIs your consumer apps have and make it a fair game. This will spark innovation, creativity and different ways of doing same things. It is exactly what you should be thriving for as a leader in the industry.