Reddit’s widely-used third-party application, Apollo, may cease to exist as conflicts between the company and the app developer escalate. The situation surrounding Reddit’s new API fees has led to the potential demise of its most prominent application, causing a stir among its substantial user base.
Reddit’s Decision to Implement API Fees
Reddit’s recently implemented decision to charge third-party developers excessive fees for API access has put the future of its largest and most popular application, Apollo, in jeopardy. The move to enforce new API fees has created tension between Reddit and the third-party developer, Christian Selig.
The Impact on Apollo App
Apollo, a third-party Reddit client, has gained immense popularity among Reddit users over the years due to its sleek design and user-friendly interface. As a result, many users have claimed they would avoid using Reddit altogether if they couldn’t access the platform through the Apollo app.
Last month, Selig reported that Apollo has a daily active user count of 900,000. According to mobile app analytics firm Data.ai, Apollo has been downloaded approximately 5 million times worldwide. However, developer Christian Selig has stated that Reddit’s new API fees are expected to result in Apollo permanently shutting down by the end of the month.
In a lengthy Reddit post, Selig detailed his decision to close the app and explained that he would delete Apollo’s API token on June 30th to avoid further charges. Until then, Apollo will continue to operate as usual, but after that date, attempts to connect to Reddit’s API will fail.
Apollo will close down on June 30th. Reddit’s recent decisions and actions have unfortunately made it impossible for Apollo to continue. Thank you so, so much for all the support over the years. ❤️ https://t.co/HOJaLMW8fx
— Christian Selig (@ChristianSelig) June 8, 2023
The Financial Strain on the Developer
Selig has publicly discussed the issues he faced with Reddit regarding the company’s decision to charge third-party developers for API access. According to Selig, after several discussions with Reddit, it became apparent that the new API model would cost the solo developer $20 million per year to maintain the Apollo app.
The API cost per user would be more than what Apollo app users pay for the premium plan on Selig’s freemium app. While Reddit’s API subscription plan operates on a pay-per-use model, Selig stated that the 30-day time frame Reddit provided before transitioning to the paid plans further limited his ability to make changes to the app to find a feasible solution.
Reddit’s API Policy and Developer Concerns
Initially, Selig and other developers were not overly concerned when Reddit announced its plan to start charging for API access earlier this year. Reddit indicated that they made the decision to switch to a paid API model with the aim of curbing AI language training and other uses that strained Reddit’s systems without improving the user experience.
Tensions Between Reddit and Apollo Developer
One of the more peculiar aspects of the situation between Reddit and Apollo is the apparent hostility Reddit has shown towards its most popular third-party developer. After Selig went public with the situation earlier this month, a Reddit employee openly criticized Apollo, asserting that the app was “inefficient” with its API requests, resulting in the high costs for Selig. Selig and other third-party Reddit developers defended Apollo and contested the “inefficient” claim.
In Selig’s post announcing the shutdown, he revealed an odd allegation about Reddit: employees, including Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, accused Selig of attempting to “blackmail” the company by “threatening” to go public with the API issues if they didn’t pay him $10 million.
Selig claimed to have recorded the call in question and shared the alleged transcript and call recording. It’s evident from both that Selig was jokingly offering to sell his app to Reddit for half of what the company claimed Apollo was costing them in API requests. Despite receiving an apology from Reddit for misinterpreting his statement, Selig reported that Reddit moderators shared a transcript of a call Reddit’s CEO had with them, in which the company still claimed Selig tried to “blackmail” them to “stay quiet.”
Reddit’s Response and Upcoming AMA
According to The Verge, Reddit is planning to address the API changes in the coming days, including an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with Reddit CEO Huffman on Friday.
Apollo App’s Recognition During Apple’s WWDC 2023 Event
The situation has unfolded during the same week when Apollo was a featured app during Apple’s WWDC 2023 event, receiving a mention from Apple’s Craig Federighi. Additionally, Apollo was showcased as one of the apps currently compatible with Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Selig expressed his disappointment in not being able to see Apollo’s compatibility with Vision Pro come to fruition.
Redditors Plan to Protest Reddit’s API Changes
While the Apollo app may be shutting down, Redditors are not giving up. The broader Reddit community is organizing a protest against Reddit’s API changes, with subreddits planning to “go dark” and temporarily shut down for a 48-hour period starting June 12. Over 3,100 subreddit communities, including some of the platform’s largest ones like r/aww, r/gaming, r/Music, r/Pics, and r/todayilearned, are scheduled to participate in the protest.
Conclusion
The potential shutdown of the Apollo app has sparked significant concern and frustration among Reddit’s user base. As tensions between Reddit and the third-party developer escalate, it remains uncertain how this situation will unfold and what the future holds for Reddit’s most popular third-party application.
