Apple to sell developers on building new apps amid pushback

While the App Store generates revenue, its almost two million apps also give consumers reasons to buy Apple’s hardware, which still make the company the vast majority of its money. — AP

Apple Inc will walk into its annual development conference facing one of the biggest backlashes from its giant community of creators since the App Store started almost 12 years ago.

The third-party developers fuel a services business that generated more than US$46bil (RM196.30bil) for Apple in its last fiscal year, almost 18% of the iPhone maker’s total revenue. Some of the group’s anger was sparked by the rejection this week of a popular email app, and comes as Apple needs to sell developers on building apps for the company’s latest platforms, including a wholesale shift of the underpinnings of the Mac.