Microsoft sets out to woo regulators with ‘Open App Store Principles’

Microsoft is getting ahead of potential new laws governing app stores by announcing its Open App Store Principles.

Last week, Developer reported on Apple’s latest fight against such legislation after the company sent a letter to US lawmakers urging them to reject S. 2710—a bill that would force Apple to open its notorious “walled garden” and enable the sideloading of apps.

Microsoft has managed to avoid being the focus of high-profile antitrust investigations in...

10 February 2022 | App Stores

GitHub incentivises open-source investments with sponsor-only repos

GitHub is launching private repositories that only sponsors have access to, helping to incentivise open-source investments.

Open-source mostly relies on developers voluntarily giving up their time to build and improve projects. Priority is naturally given to work that helps to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table—meaning that open-source projects can be underdeveloped at best or be left with devastating vulnerabilities at worst.

A growing number of...

3 February 2022 | Git

App Store apps can now be published as ‘unlisted’

Apple has announced that apps can now be published as "unlisted" to the App Store.

Apps that are unlisted will only be accessible via a direct link and cannot be discovered through a typical search, categories, recommendations, or chart position.

Here are a couple of provided examples where an unlisted app could be useful:

Limited audiences (such as part-time employees, franchisees, partners, business affiliates, higher-education students, or conference attendees)...

31 January 2022 | App Stores

Open-source can play a critical role in tackling the UK’s developer shortage

It is no secret that developers have never been more in demand. According to a recent analysis, the shortage of “programmers and software development professionals” only ranks behind HGV drivers and nurses as the occupation where worker shortages are most acute in the UK.

The sheer pace of digital transformation across every industry means the demand for developer talent continues to outstrip supply at a rapid rate – and the situation shows no sign of abating. Just about...

25 January 2022 | Git

Rust vulnerability enables attackers to delete files and directories

Maintainers of the Rust programming language have warned of a critical vulnerability that enables attackers to delete files and directories.

In a security advisory, the Rust Security Response Working Group wrote:

“The Rust Security Response WG was notified that the std::fs::remove_dir_all standard library function is vulnerable to a race condition enabling symlink following (CWE-363).

An attacker could use this security issue to trick a privileged program into...

24 January 2022 | Hacking & Security

Software supply chain attacks increased over 300% in 2021

We all knew there was an increase in software supply chain attacks in 2021, but a new study has quantified just how bad things got.

Argon Security – recently acquired by Aqua Security – published the latest edition of its annual Software Supply Chain Security Review this week.

The headline stat from Argon’s report that software supply chain attacks grew by more than 300 percent in 2021 compared to 2020.

Eran Orzel, Senior Director of Argon Customer...

20 January 2022 | Development Tools

App Store Connect now shows analytics for in-app events

Developers can now access analytics for in-app events through App Store Connect.

In-app events such as game competitions, movie premieres, and livestreamed experiences can be great ways of driving user engagement. Events can also be showcased in the App Store to help gain new users:

(Credit: Apple)

Measuring the effectiveness of an in-app event has been more difficult than it should be. Apple wants to fix that.

This week, Apple announced that developers can...

7 January 2022 | Analytics

Why software developers are the unsung heroes

To say everybody faced challenges during the pandemic would be an understatement, and software developers were no different. Not only did development teams have to ensure they could fulfil their duties remotely with minimal disruption, but the mass shift to online services caused by national lockdowns had developers working at full capacity.

This raises the question: how attuned is the C-suite to the plight of developers? And just how instrumental have development teams been to...

24 November 2021 | Developer

Niantic gets additional support for building the metaverse as valuation hits $9B

Niantic is emerging as a key player in building the metaverse and investors are keen to get in on the action.

Tech-focused investment firm Coatue has invested $300 million in Niantic, bringing the company’s valuation to $9 billion.

Matt Mazzeo, a General Partner at Coatue, said:

“Niantic is building a platform for AR based on a 3D map of the world that we believe will play a critical role in the next transition in computing.

We are excited to partner...

23 November 2021 | Gaming

Apple puts its weight behind Blender as it becomes a “Patron”

Developers who use Blender for creating 3D models will be pleased to know Apple has put its weight behind the popular software.

Apple has joined the Blender Development Fund as a “Patron” which means the Cupertino giant will support the future success of the software.

In an announcement, The Blender Foundation said that Apple will also “provide engineering expertise and additional resources to the Blender HQ and development community to help support Blender artists...

15 October 2021 | Development Tools