/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24764432/IMG_3443.jpeg "The Reddit Appocalypse Arrives: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader Turn Dark")
After a tumultuous month filled with anger, protests, and unrest from the community, Reddit has finally taken action to disable certain third-party apps. One of these apps, Apollo, which gained popularity as a rallying point against Reddit’s impending API pricing, no longer displays any content from the platform. Instead, users are greeted with a spinning wheel, indicating that Reddit has turned off access to the app’s content. Christian Selig, the developer of Apollo, confirmed in an email to The Verge that it was Reddit who made the decision to cut off access, expressing his disappointment at not being given any prior notice or timeframe.
Another popular app, BaconReader, also encounters an error message, stating “Request failed: client error (429).” Despite tapping the “Tap to refresh” link, users consistently receive the same error message, unable to access any new content. Additionally, Sync, an Android app, has also stopped functioning and displays the message “Error loading page: 401.” Further reports highlight issues with a fourth app, reddit is fun (RIF), where users have experienced functionality problems, which have been confirmed through a tweet and a comment thread on Lemmy. Notably, at the time of publishing this article, a Verge staff member was still able to view content on RIF, albeit while not logged into their account.
The treatment of Selig and other app developers sparked outrage among users, prompting protests in an attempt to sway Reddit’s stance on the matter. However, despite over 8,000 communities going offline in protest, Reddit remained steadfast, resulting in the discontinuation of some apps. It’s worth noting that not all apps will be affected, as Narwhal, Relay, and Now will still be available, although they will eventually transition to a subscription-based model.
When contacted for comment, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt directed attention to the company’s updated fact sheet regarding the API changes, released on Friday. Additionally, a Friday evening post by a Reddit administrator reaffirmed that the new API rate limits would be enforced shortly. Although the fact sheet states that the rate limits were scheduled to take effect on July 1st, the timing remains unclear, as Reddit seemingly implemented them a few hours earlier than initially communicated.
In light of these developments, I asked Selig if he intended to continue using Reddit after Apollo’s shutdown. He responded, “Honestly, not sure. I’m certainly using it a lot less.”
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
