35 iOS developers formed a came together in order to ask Apple to treat app developers better beginning with an extension of the company’s free trial policy when the it marks the 10th anniversary of its mobile software market in July this year. Also, the group intends to discuss a change in the share of revenue with Apple regarding the App Store which has since 2008 (the year App Store was initiated) been at a 70-30 dividend.
The group that was formed as a result was named Developers Union. It is not the same as a normal labour union; there are no dues, and nothing shows that the group wants to be identified with any labour union for joint bargaining reasons.
The members who organized the Developers Union include; Brent Simmons who made Glassboard and Vesper, director of the documentary app: The Human Story, Jake Schumacher, Loren Morris, a product designer and Roger Ogden, an iOS developer as well as 31 others whose identities can be found on the website as supporters of the movement in conjunction with 39 apps. An option is available on the website for those who intend to add their apps and be openly recognized as supporters.
In the past, Apple has been pushed by app makers to move the rigid line it has placed on revenue dividend and also to provide more compromising means to mete out software and free trials. It was until last year that Apple at last provided users with a feature that allowed them to preorder apps and also gave developers an ability to provide free trials and discounts on subscription services.
The Developers Union’s has a mission statement. It reads:
Dear Apple,
We believe that people who create great software should be able to make a living doing it. So we created The Developers Union to advocate for sustainability in the App Store.
Today, we are asking Apple to commit to allowing free trials for all apps in the App Stores by the tenth anniversary of the App Store this July. After that, we’ll start advocating for a more reasonable revenue cut and other community-driven, developer-friendly changes.
