Telegram CEO claims Apple is delaying update that will 'revolutionize' messaging

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov claims that Apple has been delaying an App Store update to the app that will "revolutionize how people express themselves in messaging."

In a Telegram message on Thursday, Durov says that the upcoming update has been stuck in Apple's review process for two weeks with no explanation from the iPhone maker about the holdup.

"If Telegram, one of the top 10 most popular apps globally, is receiving this treatment, one can only imagine the difficulties experienced by smaller app developers," Durov wrote.

The Telegram chief executive also hit Apple and Google for charging a 30% commission on app and in-app purchases. Durov says the app review delay is just another harm on the commission, which he likens to a "tax."

"The regulators in the EU and elsewhere are slowly starting to look into these abusive practices," he said. "But the economic damage that has already been inflicted by Apple on the tech industry won't be undone."

This isn't the first time that a Telegram update has been stuck in Apple's app review process. Back in 2018, Apple delayed global updates after Russian authorities demanded the Cupertino tech giant remove the secure messaging app from the App Store.

Other app developers and executives have complained about Apple's App Review process in the past. In 2021, Hopscotch CEO Samantha John called Apple's review process "Kafkaesque."

Apple has made moves to amend its App Store policies in recent years, including updated App Review processes and rules and the introduction of a lower 15% commission for apps making less than $1 million.

32 Comments

red oak 1104 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

There likely is a red flag or concern on Apple’s part on what is in the code, or lack of transference what data is being collected

He should be more thankful Apple’s built a platform allowing him to reach 1.2 billion people. Apple only charges 15% for subs 1 year+

rorschachai 62 comments · 3 Years

Steve Jobs at D8 in 2010:

What happens sometimes though is that some people lie. Some people use unpublished APIs and their app gets rejected. Some people submit an app that they say does one thing, but really does something else. They try to hide it from us, they get very clever about that. They try to hide it from us and we find it and we reject it. And they run to the press and tell a story about oppression and it gets written up and they get their 15 minutes of fame because they hope it will convince us to change our minds. It never does, but they keep trying to do that. And it’s unfortunate, but we take it in the chin. That part of what we do. We don’t run to the press and go, “This guys a son of a bitch liar.” That’s just not appropriate for us to do. So we take it in the chin and we move on.

mike1 3432 comments · 10 Years

Complaining about 2 weeks? LMAO.

peterhart 162 comments · 8 Years

And what is this magically revolutionary update anyway?

CheeseFreeze 1334 comments · 7 Years

These app developers are right. As a game developer who created over 20 games on the app store (often tied to theatrical releases) I can only applaud these developers protesting. It's time this gets addressed. Apple's become a shit company with good hardware.