Per the iOS 13 announcement today, Apple's website states:
"Font management. Create beautiful documents that reflect the style and character of your project with custom fonts you can install from the App Store."
https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-13-preview/I know this was discussed a few months ago while in dev phase, but curious if any new insights into how this will roll out and guesses at what it may mean for the market (perhaps hard to tell at this point).
https://typedrawers.com/discussion/3135/user-installed-fonts-coming-to-ios-13/p1
Comments
So that suggests that each partner foundry can potentially have their own app, and presumably have in-app purchasing, and deliver fonts through the app to the OS.
I imagine that it is then up to the foundry whether they do a per-font charge, or a subscription to the library, or what—but I do not know for certain that this is as flexible as I am thinking.
Monotype press release: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190603005762/en/Monotype-Thousands-Fonts-iPhone-iPad-Time
Maybe Fontspring (with their understanding of technology and impressive speed at adopting it, as well as a focus on clear licensing) could jump in quickly (with all foundries they offer, on an opt-out basis) and get a head start on the other players, making most of this opportunity.
cc: @Joe Manbeck @Ethan Dunham
Looks like fonts will only be installable from apps. No installing of font files directly.
I am really concerned about Apple’s implementation and hope it is merely a first crack. Requiring an app to install fonts is not good for anyone except subscription services, and even then it will require resubmission to the App Store every time a font is changed or released. Most of the replies to my Twitter thread say this is a security issue for Apple, but I think that’s a cop out. Sure, fonts are code, but they’ve always been code, and (with rare exceptions) macOS has always been able to verify them at the system level. I can’t believe iOS isn’t sophisticated enough to do this too. Perhaps someone with deeper understanding of iOS can explain.
Either Apple has a grander strategy that is unclear at this point or they didn’t think it through.
But of course, there's no sweet profit cut for Apple then, from any and every font bought or used on iOS devices. Basically, they've come up with a grand convoluted scheme to wedge themselves between buyers and sellers of fonts, something no other platform has managed to before. (Should Dell Inc. get 30% if I buy a font online and install it on a Dell laptop?)
I would assume by being on the app store, they are looking for more exposure with the notion to sell the non-free fonts.
Phase two is offering the font sets for sale via in-app purchasing which should be launching in the coming weeks when iOS 13 is released on the iPad. Currently only available for iPhone.
Note that the fonts aren't bundled with the app but are signed by Apple and installed into the device from Apple's servers.
Lastly, note the fonts we offer freely via our site are for personal use only just as they are for the first release of the app. Commercial use fonts will be available for iap purchase.
So far, I have tried to find what app will work with the font management. It's very interesting to find the only working app with the font management is the Mail app.
First, I feel strongly that the significance of all of this is to effectively create a third platform on which creative work can effectively be done: Mac, Windows, and iOs. No fonts, no creative work. Yes fonts, yes creative work.
Apple has effectively been developing the iPad into a notebook PC replacement. Fonts are one of the final dominoes to fall. Keyboard and mouse support, it's been pointed out, are a couple of others.
The next, in my opinion, is application software. Photoshop for iOS will be a major milestone. "Real" Photoshop for iOS was demo'd last October at Adobe MAX and promised for release in 2019. I don't know when it's coming, but I think it's a safe bet it will be relatively soon.
Basic economic theory teaches us that where there is a demand, there will be a supply. Photoshop on the iPad will create a demand for licensed commercial-quality fonts on iOS. To the extend that the independent type community has been until now (very reasonably) waiting on the sidelines, I imagine the corporate launch partners may have a jump on the rest of the industry.
Of course they'll have to catch up to Font Diner who clearly has the first-mover advantage! I think this shows in part that this new ecosystem does not necessarily favor corporate font suppliers. The idea that it is easier and cheaper for a big company to build and manage an iOS app than it is for an independent foundry... easy to say it until you've tried it!
Stephen makes a good point about Apple's appetite for avarice in our space. All type content suppliers are the same size, compared to Apple, and compared to their partners in TV, music, movies, and games. I don't think they're looking to wring every penny out of the market strategy. I expect they'll hold us all to the same standards, at least.
From my perspective, the great thing about the iOS type marketplace is that we have the opportunity for a more level playing field than has existed in a very long time. It is not operated by type industry incumbents with vested type interests. Of course Apple has its own vested interests -- any marketplace operator will. But those interests are from my vantage point less likely to be misaligned with our own.
In fact I see them as being relatively closely aligned: Security, ease of use, and, remarkably, equal access to all comers.
That's how I see it! I'm talking with my clients about these topics every day. I'm happy to talk to you to. Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like to chat.
--Matthew
http://bizlet.org
Indeed there are many apps that currently side-load existing TTF and OTF fonts by converting them to iOS profiles which then can be accessed from within other apps which appears to still be supported in iOS 13. And while iFont continues to make income from it's tool, I had expected once iOS 13 was released, it would no longer work.
I'm attaching an interesting thread I came across recently which will illuminate how Custom Fonts may eventually become more integrated but still don't have specifics on this.
Also to be sure, to our knowledge, there isn't a single app currently available that supports Custom Fonts yet, so even if users can install the fonts from our app, they cannot access them.
It’s just a shame this method is much less convenient for font makers who have to make their own app (if they want to distribute fonts directly) and then submit every font (and then every updated font!) for App Store approval. This scheme is also inconvenient for any users who want fonts from multiple providers because they’ll have to install an app from each one.
@Stephen Coles based on our results/experience, we are exploring iOS app development for independent font foundries so there can be a meaningful market full of independent font foundry apps rather than one or two apps by only the largest players that dominate the category.