Said another way: Millions to billions harvested from app developers now returned.
_aavaa_ · 7h ago
Yeah “lost” is one way to describe no longer taking what doesn’t belong to you.
dmitrygr · 6h ago
You think all the work they do to bring you iOS does not deserve compensation? Or do you not believe that anyone who makes anything may set the price as they wish, and your only choice in a civilized society is to buy or not to buy?
BoiledCabbage · 6h ago
> You think all the work they do to bring you iOS does not deserve compensation?
Of course it does. And if iOS brings that much value, then charge a license fee for the purchase of iOS.
But trying to recoup the cost of iOS by taking a cut if store transactions is anti-competitive.
If the store were split off into its own company, would it make any sense to Apple for that company to take all the revenue for the value the store provides? Of course not. Let the store compete on its merits and charge for the value the store provides: API scanning, trusted market place, how publishers are treated... And compete against other stores providing those same values and picking their % cut.
snypher · 4h ago
Should I pay Microsoft for running a .BAT file I wrote? Should I pay Ford for the miles I drive in my vehicle?
I already paid Apple, Microsoft and Ford for the products they sold me.
Lord-Jobo · 5h ago
The price of the device is the compensation. If it's not enough, raise the price. Done. No need for a separate charge
_aavaa_ · 5h ago
Do you think they’re also due 30% of all sales through Safari? Or 30% of all sales on macOS?
Surely the work there is just as worthwhile as on iOS.
They have been compensated, when people bought the hardware. Anything beyond that is blatant rent seeking and anti competitive.
Replace the word Apple with Microsoft and see how ridiculous their stance is. Even Microsoft didn’t attempt to take a cut of every software and digital good sale.
Kon-Peki · 7h ago
It was a chain of their own decisions that got them here.
But yes, it is hard to imagine a way for the App Store to exist in its current form if the ruling stands. If you can use an outside payment provider taking a 3-5% cut, nobody is going to use Apple directly and pay 15/30%.
What are some of the options? No 1st-party App Store? Dramatically increased annual dev fee? Devs pay a per-GB fee for customer downloads of “free” apps?
_aavaa_ · 5h ago
The same options that exist on macOS. Use the App Store and the benefits it gives you if they're worth it for you, or distribute and install apps from elsewhere if that's what you want.
Kon-Peki · 4h ago
To be clear: I’m not Tim Cook, I don’t work at Apple, and I’ll play no role in any decision that is made. I also have no inside information.
It’s hard to believe that the annual developer fee plus the revenue from the small minority of devs for which paying the Apple commission makes sense will cover the cost of running the App Store.
I don’t think you will get that choice. The App Store either goes away (for non-Apple software) or the cost structure changes such that it doesn’t matter who your payment provider is.
I could be wrong!
_aavaa_ · 4h ago
The macOS App Store is still around despite having competition, so I see that as a point against the iOS one going away if there is competition.
But even if it does, the profitability of Apple's business is Apple's problem. If their iOS store is only profitable through anti consumer (I can't install my own software on my own device) and anti competitive measures (you must give apple a 30% cut off all sales and they have veto power over your app at any point) then perhaps it shouldn't exist in it's current form.
BobaFloutist · 3h ago
I wonder if they lowered the cut to 10% if anyone would bite.
Of course it does. And if iOS brings that much value, then charge a license fee for the purchase of iOS.
But trying to recoup the cost of iOS by taking a cut if store transactions is anti-competitive.
If the store were split off into its own company, would it make any sense to Apple for that company to take all the revenue for the value the store provides? Of course not. Let the store compete on its merits and charge for the value the store provides: API scanning, trusted market place, how publishers are treated... And compete against other stores providing those same values and picking their % cut.
Surely the work there is just as worthwhile as on iOS.
They have been compensated, when people bought the hardware. Anything beyond that is blatant rent seeking and anti competitive.
Replace the word Apple with Microsoft and see how ridiculous their stance is. Even Microsoft didn’t attempt to take a cut of every software and digital good sale.
But yes, it is hard to imagine a way for the App Store to exist in its current form if the ruling stands. If you can use an outside payment provider taking a 3-5% cut, nobody is going to use Apple directly and pay 15/30%.
What are some of the options? No 1st-party App Store? Dramatically increased annual dev fee? Devs pay a per-GB fee for customer downloads of “free” apps?
It’s hard to believe that the annual developer fee plus the revenue from the small minority of devs for which paying the Apple commission makes sense will cover the cost of running the App Store.
I don’t think you will get that choice. The App Store either goes away (for non-Apple software) or the cost structure changes such that it doesn’t matter who your payment provider is.
I could be wrong!
But even if it does, the profitability of Apple's business is Apple's problem. If their iOS store is only profitable through anti consumer (I can't install my own software on my own device) and anti competitive measures (you must give apple a 30% cut off all sales and they have veto power over your app at any point) then perhaps it shouldn't exist in it's current form.