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Apple Defends Its Ads for Third-Party Apps, Says It Regularly Communicates With Developers and Has Been Running Them for Five Years
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I disagree with that. Each developer, and many aren't small ones from the looks of it, choose to run their own advertising campaigns as they see fit. It's not like Apple is running anything that's separate to that. Yes it's more coverage I guess but the developer can make the exact same choice.
If there is developer consent, or more, then it's all fine.
From what I'm seeing though is that it's no different to a company that is a bulk Verizon customer using a Verizon ad directly where it directs to that company rather than Verizon. Yeah, Verizon gets another customer but its one step removed and at 30% less. The question really is whether that ad would have been there anyway, which for me comes down to developer consent.
It all raises an eyebrow to me given I'm sure if Verizon were to directly run an Apple ad directly that links to Verizon, rather than Apple, there would be a cease and desist sent out in less than 2 seconds.
We will never prove or disprove the assertion devs get new business. However, apple is within its rights to do this advertising. Everything they do has a legal stamp of approval, imo, I can almost guarantee it.
No one is forced. It would illegal for a developer to force Apple to agree to a contract and vice versa.
Why should we criticise Apple for trying to make more money by selling stuff in their store?
It's one reason they have a store.
Apple in fact creates competition and choice which so many here loves.
Carriers run ads for Apple and non-Apple devices all the time and then direct customers to their stores, website, or apps. You have every right to advertise that you sell a product.
Based on what the companies said, I know it for as much as a fact as anything Apple has said.
They are specifically targeting already purchased developer ads, to gain higher placement on search results, to steer people towards their 30% cut, payment option. Apple is making “more money” at the direct expense of developers who have already paid for SEO search terms for their own apps.
Apple is NOT attracting people to apps, which are missing SEO search terms.
How do you know this isn’t money that may never have reached the developer to begin with? 30% of $0 is still zero.
Well, since Apple bought the ads to directly compete with the developer, an ad would have been there, regardless.
The people blowing sunshine up Apple rear, are acting like these Apple ads are showing where no ad would have appeared. These people are showing that they have no understanding of the situation.
“I’d be happy if Apple bought ads for me” = ? level of understanding
But the point still stands, these ads may bring in business a developer may never have had. You're looking at it as if the developer had business and now Apple is vying for the same customer to use IAP. It seems there is some middle ground here.