Did Apollo App Blackmail Reddit? Amidst Shut Down News Conspiracy Theory Trends

Apollo Reddit App, one of the most popular and well-designed iOS apps for browsing Reddit, has announced that it will be shutting down on June 30th, 2023. The reason behind this decision is Reddit’s new API pricing policy, which will make it prohibitively expensive for third-party apps like Apollo to access Reddit’s data.

Why and When the Apollo Reddit App was Created

Apollo Reddit App was created by Christian Selig, a former Apple employee who wanted to build a Reddit app that felt native and intuitive on iOS devices. He launched Apollo in 2017 after years of development and feedback from thousands of Redditors. The app quickly gained a loyal fan base for its beautiful design, smooth gestures, fast loading pages, powerful media viewer, full markdown editor, and many other features that made browsing Reddit a joy.

The Reddit API Nightmare Begins

On the fateful day of May 31st, 2023, Reddit announced that it would be changing its API pricing policy starting from July 1st, 2023. The new policy would charge third-party apps based on the number of requests they make to Reddit’s servers, instead of a flat monthly fee. According to Selig, this would mean that Apollo would have to pay over $20 million per year to operate, which is impossible for a small independent developer to afford.

Did Apollo Blackmail Reddit?

Selig tried to negotiate with Reddit and find a solution that would allow Apollo to continue, but he claims that Reddit was unresponsive and uncooperative. He also denies Reddit’s accusations that Apollo was “less efficient” than other apps, and that he blackmailed Reddit for $10 million. He shared a detailed post on Reddit explaining his situation and providing evidence to support his claims.

How Apollo Users are Reacting to the Shut Down News

Selig has expressed his gratitude and sadness for having to shut down Apollo, which he described as his “passion project” and “dream app”. He thanked his users for their support and feedback over the years and apologized for letting them down. He said that he will delete Apollo’s API token on June 30th, which will render the app unusable. He also promised to offer pro-rated refunds to his subscribers.

Apollo’s closure has sparked outrage and disappointment among its users and fans, as well as other third-party app developers who fear that they will be affected by Reddit’s new policy as well. Many of Reddit’s biggest communities have planned to go dark or block new posts on June 12th to protest against Reddit’s decision and show their solidarity with Apollo. They hope that Reddit will reconsider its policy and find a way to keep Apollo and other third-party apps alive.

Apollo Reddit App was more than just an app for many people. It was a community, a hobby, a passion, and a way of life. It will be sorely missed by many who loved it for its quality, functionality, and personality. It will also be remembered as an example of what a dedicated developer can achieve with hard work, creativity, and feedback from users.