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Apollo (app)

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Apollo
Other namesApollo for Reddit
Developer(s)Christian Selig
Initial release23 October 2017; 7 years ago (2017-10-23)
Final release
1.15.17 / 28 November 2023; 11 months ago (2023-11-28)
Written inSwift and Objective-C[1][2]
Operating system
PlatformARM
Size124.9 MB
Available inEnglish
TypeReddit client
LicenseProprietary
Websiteapolloapp.io Edit this at Wikidata

Apollo for Reddit, shortened to Apollo, was a third-party Reddit client for iOS. Developed by Canadian programmer Christian Selig, a former Apple intern, Apollo was designed as an iOS-friendly successor to Alien Blue, and an alternative to the official Reddit app. It was notable for its large feature set over the official app, including rapid support for newly-introduced iOS features such as Lock Screen widgets. It had a gesture-based design and featured no advertisements.

Launched on 23 October 2017 after an extensive beta period that began in early 2015, Apollo quickly became popular. Throughout its lifespan, it received critical praise and became one of the most popular third-party Reddit clients, with close to 5 million lifetime global installs by 2023. Selig would sometimes run fundraising initiatives within the app to raise money for causes such as animal shelters. However, following controversial Reddit API changes that made its continued operation untenable, Selig shut down the app on 30 June 2023.

History

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Background

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In October 2014, Reddit acquired Alien Blue, the most popular iOS Reddit client, for an undisclosed sum, and made it the official Reddit app for iOS. However, in trying to rework it and develop a version for Android, the Reddit team found its dated infrastructure limiting. In April 2016, Alien Blue was discontinued and removed from the App Store in favour of a new, rewritten Reddit application. Alex Le, Reddit's vice president of product, called the new app a "modern interpretation of what Reddit should be on a mobile device".[5]

Launch

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After being tested in public beta since early 2015,[6] Apollo officially launched on the App Store for iOS on 23 October 2017.[7] Halifax-based[8][9] developer Christian Selig, a former Apple intern,[10][11] said in his Reddit introduction post that he saw the app as a suitable replacement for Alien Blue, and that the new official app, unlike Apollo, had not incorporated fan-favourite features from the "incredible" Alien Blue, such as inline previews for external media links.[7][12] He also said he wanted to build a better replacement for the desktop website version of Reddit.[8]

Selig later said that during this period, he was offered a job at Reddit by CEO Steve Huffman, but he declined the offer to continue working on Apollo.[13]

Initiatives

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Beginning in 2018, Selig ran an annual[14] fundraiser on his birthday for the Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, donating Apollo's proceeds for a day each year. The fundraiser raised over CA$5,000 in 2018.[15]

In 2019, the fundraiser raised CA$27,355, almost tripling Selig's CA$10,000 goal, and went viral, hitting the front page of Reddit.[14][16] In 2020, over CA$42,000 was raised, a record donation for the organisation.[17]

Reddit API changes and shutdown

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Main article: 2023 Reddit API controversy

On 18 April 2023, Reddit announced it would begin to charge for access to its application programming interface (API), citing data scraping by LLMs as its primary reason.[18][19] On 31 May, Selig announced that Apollo would cost US$20 million a year to run under the new terms, a financially untenable figure, but expressed hope for a more equitable offer allowing Apollo to keep running.[9][20] However, talks soon turned "ugly",[21][22] and he later announced that Apollo would shut down on 30 June due to the changes.[23][24] He said other options such as making Apollo subscription-only were also unworkable,[25] and refuted Reddit's claims that Apollo was more inefficient under the API than other third-party apps.[24][26] The decision to limit access to "mature content" within Reddit's API also affected Apollo.[27] The new terms came following similar changes by Twitter and preceded a rumoured initial public offering by Reddit.[19][21][28][29][30]

Apollo shut down on 30 June,[31][32][33] along with several other third-party Reddit apps.[34] Selig thanked fans of the app and said he was "heartbroken".[35] Premium tier subscribers received an automatic pro-rated refund for time remaining on their subscription, which they had the option to decline.[36] Reddit users and moderators widely protested the platform's API changes; many subreddits went into "lockdown" to protest the changes, disallowing new posts indefinitely.[23][37] Reddit denied trying to intentionally "kill" third-party apps.[21][25] The Verge noted that Apollo became "the central figure in an all-out platform war".[23]

Features

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Apollo was created to better follow established iOS human interface guidelines than competing Reddit clients.[25] The app's global navigation bar featured five main tabs: Posts, Inbox, Account, Search, and Settings.[8][11] The app featured gestures for performing common tasks like replying and saving posts. The app was highly customisable, allowing a choice between large and compact post sizings, a dark mode, and modification of the app's gesture-based design. A "Jump Bar" feature allowed for rapid switching between different subreddits, and a media viewer allowed inline viewing of content from providers such as YouTube, Gfycat, and Imgur.[8][12] Its text editor utilised Markdown.[25][38][39] Comments from new Reddit accounts could be automatically highlighted to help users spot unconstructive users, and comments from the moderation bot AutoModerator could be automatically hidden.[40] Comments were indented using different coloured lines (also customisable), improving visual focus.[8]

The app received regular updates that added new features.[25] Core components like media viewing and sharing options were improved over time.[41] In December 2018, the ability to quick switch between Reddit accounts was added.[42] In May 2022, a major update overhauled the app's push notification support, allowing for additional features like custom subreddit watchers, post reminders, and trending post notifications.[43] Version 1.14 introduced in September 2022 brought support for Lock Screen widgets, a feature introduced in iOS 16. Trending posts and favourite subreddits could be pinned to the Lock Screen for easy access.[44]

Monetisation

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The app was free to download and featured no advertisements.[7][38] An optional "Pro" tier was available as an in-app purchase and unlocked features geared towards power users such as post creation, multiple account support, and GIF scrubbing.[7][12][39] Users on the "Pro" tier could also adjust the app's icon, choosing from a selection that was regularly updated.[8] An "Ultra" subscription tier was later added to fund additional features like push notifications.[38][40][43]

Pixel Pals

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The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max introduced a new user interface element called the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen in which notifications and other software elements can be displayed.[45] In September 2022, Selig added a feature to Apollo called "Pixel Pals", a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet that would sit on top of the Dynamic Island as the user browsed Reddit. Multiple animals could be selected by the user, including a dog, cat, and hedgehog. The feature was also implemented as a Lock Screen widget for users on older iPhone models.[46][47]

Pixel Pals was a popular feature; according to Selig, it made 40 percent of his revenue after its introduction to Apollo.[48] It was later spun off into its own app,[25] which received a major 2.0 update in September 2023 that introduced additional game elements.[32][48] An update following Apollo's shutdown added the ability to transfer characters to the standalone app.[36]

Development

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A majority of the app was written in Swift, with some elements written in Objective-C.[1] The server components were written in Go. Selig recommended Swift to newcomers and called it an "absolute dream to program in".[2]

Due to Selig's familiarity with Apple, the app was known for quickly supporting Apple's latest software APIs and technologies.[25] It supported system features such as Safari View Controller, Taptic Engine, and 3D Touch.[8][12] Selig wanted the app to feel like "a really great first class citizen of iOS".[8]

Planned iPad and macOS versions

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The Apollo app was a universal app that supported iPad from release, but with no special enhancements for the larger screen. Selig had plans to take the iPad version "to the next level",[7] but this never materialised before the app's discontinuation.

Reception

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Lifehacker said the app was "so elegant Apple might have imagined it themselves"[39] and called it the best Reddit app of 2022, praising added features over the official app like URL previews and GIF scrubbing.[40] Vice called it the best Reddit app in 2023.[37] Joe Rossignol of MacRumors called it "beautiful, modern, and fast" and called the media viewer "impressive".[12]

Sarah Perez of TechCrunch called it "beautifully designed" and praised the "thoughtfulness" behind its design. She said that newcomers to Reddit would appreciate the app's ease-of-use and called the app a "labor of love".[8] TechRadar praised its speed and "streamlined design" in comparison to the official app.[38] Ryan Christoffel of MacStories praised its speed and use of iOS design elements, saying they would make the app feel "instantly familiar" to iOS users.[11]

Apollo was featured by Apple several times in promotional material for iOS and its App Store, including during its WWDC 2022[49] and 2023[21][24][31] keynotes, the latter being less than a month prior to Apollo's shutdown. It also received an "editor's choice" badge on the App Store in January 2021.[50]

Popularity

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Apollo was one of the most popular third-party Reddit apps on iOS.[15][25][37] In October 2021, Selig said that Apollo had "several hundred thousand users".[10]

Selig said that the app had approximately 1.3 to 1.5 million monthly active users, 7 billion API requests per month, and about 900,000 daily active users at the time of its discontinuation. According to third-party estimates, Apollo had close to 5 million global installs.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b Selig, Christian (17 April 2015). "Quick question: Apollo was written in objective C or Swift". Reddit. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Selig, Christian (15 May 2018). "What programming language is Apollo written in?". Reddit. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Apollo for Reddit". App Store. Apple. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  4. ^ Selig, Christian (26 October 2017). "Day 3 Update! Progress update, suggestions needed, answers, answers to common questions, and more!". Reddit. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  5. ^ Yeung, Ken (7 April 2016). "Reddit scraps Alien Blue in favor of in-house built iOS and Android apps". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  6. ^ Selig, Christian (31 January 2015). "Announcing Apollo: a brand new, gorgeous Reddit app for iPhone (xpost: /r/iPhone)". Reddit. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e Selig, Christian (23 October 2017). "Introducing Apollo, a brand new Reddit experience for iOS. Gorgeous, iOS centric design, an incredible Media Viewer, fully customizable gestures, a full Markdown editor, and sculpted by thousands of Redditors". Reddit. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Perez, Sarah (27 October 2017). "Apollo for iOS is the only Reddit app you need". TechCrunch. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b Alcaraz, Charlize (12 June 2023). "Canadian app Apollo to shut down amid user protest against Reddit API pricing". BetaKit. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  10. ^ a b Robison, 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. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Christoffel, Ryan (24 October 2017). "Apollo: A Powerful, Modern Reddit Client for iOS". MacStories. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e Rossignol, Joe (23 October 2017). "Beautiful, Modern, and Fast Reddit Client 'Apollo' Launches for iPhone and iPad After Years of Development". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  13. ^ Nelson, Quinn (3 June 2023). "How Reddit Became the Enemy - w/ Apollo Developer Christian Selig". YouTube. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b Clover, Juli (20 July 2020). "'Apollo' Reddit App Donating All of Today's Purchase Proceeds to Animal Shelter". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  15. ^ a b Miller, Chance (7 August 2018). "Apollo Reddit app developer donates proceeds from promotion to SPCA animal shelter". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  16. ^ Cooke, Alex (23 July 2019). "'A lot of tails wagging' after app developer raises $27K for Nova Scotia SPCA". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  17. ^ Miller, Chance (20 July 2020). "Apollo for Reddit developer launches third annual SPCA animal shelter fundraiser". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  18. ^ Bonk, Lawrence (19 April 2023). "Reddit will charge companies for API access, citing AI training concerns". Engadget. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  19. ^ a b Isaac, Mike (18 April 2023). "Reddit Wants to Get Paid for Helping to Teach Big A.I. Systems". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  20. ^ Peters, Jay (30 June 2023). "How Reddit crushed the biggest protest in its history". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  21. ^ a b c d Roach, Jacob (8 June 2023). "Apollo, a Reddit app featured during WWDC, is being shuttered". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  22. ^ Marcelline, Marco (9 June 2023). "Reddit App Apollo to Shut Down Amid $20 Million API Spat". PCMag. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b c Pierce, David; Patel, Nilay (13 June 2023). "Apollo's Christian Selig explains his fight with Reddit — and why users revolted". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  24. ^ a b c Selig, Christian (9 June 2023). "📣 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. ❤️". Reddit. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i Perez, Sarah (31 May 2023). "Popular Reddit app Apollo may go out of business over Reddit's new, unaffordable API pricing". TechCrunch. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  26. ^ Peters, Jay (9 June 2023). "Apollo for Reddit is shutting down". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  27. ^ Harding, Scharon (13 May 2023). "Reddit welcomes NSFW desktop image uploads ahead of Imgur's ban". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  28. ^ Bell, Karissa (1 June 2023). "Reddit app developer says the site's new API rules will cost him $20 million a year". Engadget. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  29. ^ Roth, Emma (1 June 2023). "A developer says Reddit could charge him $20 million a year to keep his app working". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  30. ^ Griffin, Andrew (9 June 2023). "Popular Reddit app Apollo shuts down as site's users revolt against it". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  31. ^ a b Peters, Jay (1 July 2023). "The Reddit app-pocalyse is here: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader go dark". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  32. ^ a b Perez, Sarah (22 September 2023). "Pixel Pals delivers a cute and clever update that takes advantage of new iOS features". TechCrunch. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  33. ^ Maxwell, Thomas (9 June 2023). "Popular Reddit client Apollo will shut down after talks over new developer fees got 'ugly,' with allegations of blackmail". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  34. ^ Peters, Jay (9 June 2023). "It's not just Apollo: other Reddit apps are shutting down, too". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  35. ^ Mann, Jyoti; Maxwell, Thomas (1 July 2023). "Some Redditors say they're walking away after Apollo app shuts down". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  36. ^ a b Clover, Juli (30 June 2023). "Popular Reddit App Apollo Shutting Down After Today, Pixel Pals Migration Feature Added". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  37. ^ a b c Koebler, Jason (9 June 2023). "Apollo, the Best Reddit App, Is Shutting Down Because of Reddit's New Fees". Vice. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  38. ^ a b c d Coombes, Lloyd (29 June 2022). "How to make the most of Apollo for Reddit on iOS and Android for beginners". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  39. ^ a b c Terpstra, Brett (30 August 2018). "Apollo Makes Reddit Beautiful for iOS Users". Lifehacker. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  40. ^ a b c Parab, Pranay (1 February 2022). "The Best Apps and Extensions You Should Install If You Use Reddit". Lifehacker. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  41. ^ Hardwick, Tim (25 May 2020). "Apollo for Reddit 1.8 Improves Media Viewing, Sharing Options, and More". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  42. ^ Hardwick, Tim (1 December 2018). "Reddit Client 'Apollo' Updated With Quick Switch Account Feature, Enhanced Subreddit Options, and More". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  43. ^ a b Clover, Juli (23 May 2022). "Reddit App 'Apollo' Gets Major Update With New Notification Experience". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  44. ^ Perez, Sarah (14 September 2022). "Apollo's app brings Reddit to your iOS 16 Lock Screen". TechCrunch. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  45. ^ Whitney, Lance (20 September 2023). "Notch No More: How to Use the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15". PCMag Australia. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  46. ^ Bonifacic, Igor (18 September 2022). "Apollo update transforms the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island into a home for 'Pixel Pals'". Engadget. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  47. ^ Clover, Juli (16 September 2022). "Apollo App Adds 'Pixel Pals' to the iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island". MacRumors. Archived from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  48. ^ a b Peters, Jay (18 October 2023). "The creator of Apollo for Reddit has moved onto smaller and weirder things". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Apollo got a cameo in the WWDC 2022 keynote!". Reddit. 7 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  50. ^ "Apollo has been given the Editors' Choice award!". Reddit. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
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