Why All the Fury at Apple?

Apple’s annual conference for app makers, which starts on Monday, is usually a lovefest. This year it’s going to be awkward.

Some developers are angrier than ever at Apple’s dictatorship over iPhone apps, accusing the tech giant of imposing unfair costs and complexities on them and iPhone users. Here’s what you need to know about this dispute, where Apple and the unhappy app makers have a point, and my suggestions for reaching app peace.

Some are angry at what they see as high and capriciously applied commissions that Apple takes when someone subscribes to an online dating service in an app or buys virtual gems in the Clash of Clans game. Apple takes a fee of up to 30 cents per dollar of each sale in an iPhone app. (It recently cut its commission to 15 cents per dollar for all but the top-selling apps, although that change affects a fraction of Apple’s app revenue.)

Other app makers believe Apple unfairly blocks their apps or puts them at a disadvantage to Apple’s competing internet services. The complainers could be a vocal minority among the couple million iPhone apps, but it’s an influential one — including Spotify, Match Group, Airbnb, Tile and the maker of the Fortnite video game, Epic Games, whose trial against Apple concluded last month.

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