Basecamp Founders Email Service Hello is feuding with Apple again — this time over the rejection of its new calendar app from the App Store. Apple’s reasoning is similar to when the Cupertino-based tech giant dropped Hey’s email app four years ago — users who don’t pay can’t use the app after downloading it. Additionally, new users cannot sign up through Hey’s calendar app.
Last week, Basecamp launched an integrated calendar service with Hey, along with a new standalone app for it. On Saturday, Hey’s co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson posted on X that Apple has rejected Hey’s standalone calendar app.
Apple requires apps to allow users to sign up for the service and potentially pay for the subscription if needed. If users pay through in-app purchases, Apple takes a 30% cut (or less in some cases). These rules allow some apps like Netflix, Kindle, and Spotify to allow users to create accounts outside of the app.
In 2020, Apple first rejected Hey’s email app because users couldn’t sign up for the service in the app. So both companies reached a compromise where users could download and start using Hey with a randomized email ID. To upgrade, they had to pay for the service through the browser.
In a suspension, Hansson argues that several apps like Google Calendar and Netflix are tied to people paying for the service outside of Apple’s ecosystem. In addition, it says that Apple uses an iCloud ID to provide subscription to a suite of applications. So Hey’s calendar app should be allowed on the App Store.
“So what will happen? I don’t know, but I know we’ll keep fighting. We’re never going to cave and pay Apple 30% protection money to keep our peace of mind. Last time we found a way and we will do it again,” he said.
Apple did not immediately comment on the story.
