Twitter Blue Launch Reportedly Delayed—Again—As Musk Takes Issue With Apple Store Fees

Topline

Twitter again delayed the launch of its Twitter Blue subscription service—which allows users to pay $8 per month for a verified badge—in an effort to find a way to circumvent Apple’s 30% fee on all in-app purchases, the Platformer reported on Tuesday, as CEO Elon Musk engages in a public feud with the iPhone maker after it purportedly withdrew its advertising from the social media platform.

Twitter Blue’s launch was delayed again, as the company tries to get around Apple’s App … [+]Charge for storage

NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Key Facts

The Platformer reports that Twitter won’t offer Blue subscriptions in-app on its Twitter iPhone app after it relaunches.

An internal message shared by a product manager on Tuesday said the launch has been delayed to “make some tweaks,” the report added.

Blue will see a price increase from $7.99 to $8, and it will require phone number authentication.

Musk was the first to realize this. intended to relaunch Twitter Blue—the rollout of which was suspended after it allowed the creation of a wave of impersonator accounts—on Tuesday, but this was delayed to a tentative date of December 2, last week.

With this latest delay, the date for Twitter Blue’s launch remains unclear.

Keep an eye out for these things

Twitter Blue is no longer an in-app buy and will therefore not have to pay Apple 30% for all subscriptions. This would likely mean the subscription will be accessible on Twitter’s website itself, opening the service to Twitter users on all platforms. Twitter Blue had been available exclusively to iPad or iPhone users prior to the suspension of its rollout. Apple’s App Store policies allow app makers to offer subscriptions and services outside the app. Apple has set strict guidelines for how apps should guide users in making external purchases. This has been criticized by other app developers.

News Peg

Platformer also noted that Apple continues to lose ad revenue. Earnings from Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), are down 15% over the past year. Weekly ad bookings have fallen 49%. The company is reportedly anticipating a $12 million revenue loss from the U.K.—its largest market in the region. Several major brands have backed off from advertising on Twitter due to concerns about the platform’s failure to moderate hateful content.

The Key Background

Musk openedly feuded with Apple after Apple’s advertising ban was lifted on Monday. The loss of Apple’s advertising dollars is likely a big blow for Twitter as the company was the biggest advertiser on Twitter in the first quarter with a spend of $48 million, according to the Washington Post. Musk attacked Apple’s decision to pull its advertisements. accusing the company of “hating free speech.” The Twitter CEO eventually claimed …read more

Source:: Social Media Explorer