by Jason Snell
Marco Arment ends the war on Peace
On Friday Marco Arment decided to pull his top-selling ad-blocking app, Peace, from the App Store because it made him deeply uncomfortable:
Peace required that all ads be treated the same — all-or-nothing enforcement for decisions that aren’t black and white. This approach is too blunt, and Ghostery and I have both decided that it doesn’t serve our goals or beliefs well enough. If we’re going to effect positive change overall, a more nuanced, complex approach is required than what I can bring in a simple iOS app…
Even though I’m “winning”, I’ve enjoyed none of it. That’s why I’m withdrawing from the market. It’s simply not worth it. I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to turn away an opportunity like this, and I don’t begrudge anyone else who wants to try it. I’m just not built for this business.
People who bought it can request a refund if they like, but Marco says that the app will keep working “for a long time,” just with no updates.