Apollo (app)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Apollo
Developer(s)Christian Selig
Initial release23 October 2017; 6 years ago (2017-10-23)
Operating systemiOS
TypeReddit client
LicenseProprietary
Websiteapolloapp.io Edit this at Wikidata

Apollo for Reddit, shortened to Apollo, was a third-party

application programming interface
(API) resulted in Selig shutting down the app.

Usage and design

Apollo was created with consideration for Apple's official iOS guidelines for apps, and featured a gesture-based design.[1] Comments from new Reddit accounts could be highlighted to help users spot trolls, and comments from the moderation bot AutoModerator could be hidden.[2] Apollo's text editor was compatible with Markdown.[3] A Tamagotchi-like critter, referred to as "Pixel Pals", appeared above the display cutout of the iPhone 14 Pro and its Max version in the app.[4] For iOS 16, Apollo was updated to support lock screen widgets.[5]

In comparison to Reddit's official app, Apollo did not feature advertisements for non-paying users. However, customizing gesture controls, logging in through multiple accounts, and posting were locked behind a one-time US$5 fee known as "Apollo Pro". For US$1 per month, users could pay for "Apollo Ultra", which features push notifications and custom themes.[6] Notifications were overhauled in May 2022.[7]

History

Launch

In October 2014, Reddit acquired

Google Play Store in April 2016; in its wake, Reddit announced its own app.[8] Former Apple intern Christian Selig,[9] seeking to emulate Alien Blue, announced Apollo on 23 October 2017, after two years of development.[1] He used the app's popularity to raise CA$27,335 for the Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for his 26th birthday in July 2019.[10]

Reddit API changes and shutdown

Main article: 2023 Reddit API controversy

On 18 April 2023, Reddit announced it would charge companies for access to its

application programming interface (API).[11] Reddit CEO Steve Huffman told The New York Times that the "Reddit corpus of data is really valuable".[12] On 31 May, Selig announced on Reddit that Reddit planned on charging US$12,000 for 50 million requests; in April, Apollo made 7 billion requests, coming out to US$1.7 million per month or US$20 million a year. The decision threatened the outlook of Selig, who did not have "that kind of money" nor knew how to pay for it.[13] The API changes took effect on 19 June.[14] The decision to limit access to "mature content" within Reddit's API also affected Apollo.[15]

On 8 June, Selig announced that Apollo would cease development and shut down on 30 June through his Twitter account and a Reddit post.[16] Selig alleged that Huffman told employees that he attempted to blackmail the company for US$10 million.[17] Apollo shut down on 30 June.[18]

Reception

Lifehacker called Apollo the best Reddit app for iOS in 2022.[2] Vice called it the best Reddit app in 2023.[19] TechCrunch called it "beautiful, clean, and modern" in 2017.[20]

The Apollo app was chosen as one of Apple's "editors' choice" apps.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b Rossignol, Joe (23 October 2017). "Beautiful, Modern, and Fast Reddit Client 'Apollo' Launches for iPhone and iPad After Years of Development". MacRumors. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b Parab, Pranay (1 February 2022). "The Best Apps and Extensions You Should Install If You Use Reddit". Lifehacker. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  3. ^ Terpstra, Brett (31 August 2018). "Apollo Makes Reddit Beautiful For iOS Users". Lifehacker. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  4. ^ Bonifacic, Igor (17 September 2022). "Apollo update transforms the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island into a home for 'Pixel Pals'". Engadget. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  5. ^ Perez, Sarah (14 September 2022). "Apollo's app brings Reddit to your iOS 16 Lock Screen". TechCrunch. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  6. ^ Coombes, Lloyd (29 June 2022). "How to make the most of Apollo for Reddit on iOS and Android for beginners". TechRadar. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ Clover, Juli (23 May 2022). "Reddit App 'Apollo' Gets Major Update With New Notification Experience". MacRumors. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  8. ^ Yeung, Ken (7 April 2016). "Reddit scraps Alien Blue in favor of in-house built iOS and Android apps". VentureBeat. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  9. ^ Robinson, Kylie (11 October 2021). "How this full-time independent developer made thousands from a 'weekend project' iPhone app for avoiding the AMP links that lots of users despise". Business Insider. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  10. Canadian Broadcasting Company
    . Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  11. ^ Bonk, Lawrence (18 April 2023). "Reddit will charge companies for API access, citing AI training concerns". Engadget. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  12. ^ Isaac, Mike (18 April 2023). "Reddit Wants to Get Paid for Helping to Teach Big A.I. Systems". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  13. ^ Roth, Emma (31 May 2023). "A developer says Reddit could charge him $20 million a year to keep his app working". The Verge. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  14. ^ Bell, Karissa (31 May 2023). "Reddit app developer says the site's new API rules will cost him $20 million a year". Engadget. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  15. ^ Harding, Scharon (12 May 2023). "Reddit welcomes NSFW desktop image uploads ahead of Imgur's ban". Ars Technica. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  16. ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/
  17. ^ Peters, Jay (8 June 2023). "Apollo for Reddit is shutting down". The Verge. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  18. ^ Peters, Jay (30 June 2023). "The Reddit app-pocalyse is here: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader go dark". The Verge. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  19. ^ Koebler, Jason (8 June 2023). "Apollo, the Best Reddit App, Is Shutting Down Because of Reddit's New Fees". Vice. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  20. ^ Perez, Sarah (27 October 2017). "Apollo for iOS is the only Reddit app you need". TechCrunch. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  21. ^ "App Store Preview". Apple Ink. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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