Apple Eliminates Separate Binary Requirement for Dutch Dating Apps Accepting Alternative Payments

[vipergts2207]

Pulling out of one EU country isn't going to magically solve Apple's issues on that continent -- or worldwide

That's not a solution

It's like folks are in denial that these issues are being heavily scrutinized, with legislation pending or already passed, all over the world. The EU, the U.K., South Korea, the U.S., and likely others I'm forgetting. Pulling out of markets would hurt big tech even more, not save them.

 

[davidg4781]

It's like folks are in denial that these issues are being heavily scrutinized, with legislation pending or already passed, all over the world. The EU, the U.K., South Korea, the U.S. and likely others I'm forgetting. Pulling out of markets is going to hurt big tech even more, not save them.

Who’s to say government is right? People that people in liberty and private property rights might thing government is overreaching their authority.

 

[vipergts2207]

Who’s to say government is right? People that people in liberty and private property rights might thing government is overreaching their authority.

Voters? If people are that worried about this, they'll elect people who will push back on reigning in big tech. However, the reality is that most people don't give a crap about this stuff. And of those who are concerned about big tech, both sides of the political aisle seem to be pretty fed up with big tech's crap, albeit for generally different reasons.

 

[WhoDaKat]

What about developers that have been making apps for Mac OS for over a decade? Don't they deserve same treatment on iOS.
That is, ability to release apps outside of a sandbox app store.

Well let’s look at the world of apps for Mac vs for iOS? Which one would you say offers consumers more choices? The un-sandboxed Mac apps that have been around for 50 years, or the much newer iOS apps and all of its totalitarian restrictions?

 

[mikethemartian]

This notion that the App Store provides “marketing” for apps is delusional for the overwhelming majority of apps. A new app that doesn’t already have an established customer base (think a longtime local bank publishing an app for the first time) and doesn’t pay for its own advertising is almost assured to go nowhere fast, unless it’s such an incredible app that Apple chooses to feature it from early on.

In either case, these are expenses that developers wishing to use alternative payment systems would likely be happy to take on themselves. Especially hosting, which is dirt cheap by now.

It seems a bad deal to me that one developer has to pay for marketing and that Apple at its sole discretion can spend that contribution to market another developer’s (even possibly a competitor’s) app.

 

[jonblatho]

It seems a bad deal to me that one developer has to pay for marketing and that Apple at its sole discretion can spend that contribution to market another developer’s (even possibly a competitor’s) app.

Same for indie paid-app developers subsidizing — via IAP — the tremendous bandwidth used by needlessly large "free" apps such as Facebook who need only pay a $99 or $299 annual fee to Apple, like any other developer. There's a lot of inequity in the App Store's business model.

 

[sw1tcher]

This is a win for platform freedom. One day I hope that we'll be able to run whatever we please on our iDevices.

Apparently 8 people (as of the posting of this comment) disagree with you that iDevice users should be allowed to use their iDevice as they see fit.

SMH

 

[abhibeckert]

Apple is still going to get their cut and it's still going to be a major cut (~25%). They just will collect it in bulk at a later date rather than at time of sale.

Time will tell. I don't think demanding a "major cut" is acceptable long term. How much is acceptable is open to debate, but my opinion is it's a lot less than 27%.

And I imagine most developers have low enough revenue volumes that they do not have their own native payment processing systems so they will continue to use Apple or now use a third-party payment processing service and when those fees and Apple's cut are added together, they will still be ~30% so they won't be saving anything.

You say that like it's hard to collect credit card payments. It's not. Step 1 sign up for one of a million credit card transaction API services. Step 2 have a clear refund/complaints policy. Step 3 send an API request {"amount": 4200, "card": "420000000000", "expiry": "2/23", "cvv": "424"}. Step 4 email a payment receipt to the customer. That's it.

The main benefit to Dutch developers is they don't have to maintain two apps in the Dutch App Store. But then, Apple doesn't have to maintain two apps, either, so they benefit, as well.

That's a pretty big benefit. Previously users of these apps had to uninstall the app, then go to the app store and download it again to access the alternate payment method. Now they will simply get the new version of the app automatically.

 

[DFZD]

Well let’s look at the world of apps for Mac vs for iOS? Which one would you say offers consumers more choices? The un-sandboxed Mac apps that have been around for 50 years, or the much newer iOS apps and all of its totalitarian restrictions?

Unfair comparison because smartphone userbase far exceeds the laptop userbase. Even more so in the Apple ecosystem.

 

[Artemis70]

I’m not sure if you’re purposefully trying to be ignorant here, but they cannot 'sell stuff on the App Store for free'.

This whole case is about being able to use the App Store for free. The apps will be available for free, and payments have to be done through the app developer's site. The app developers want to ALSO not pay the 27%.

 

[Artemis70]

Well let’s look at the world of apps for Mac vs for iOS? Which one would you say offers consumers more choices? The un-sandboxed Mac apps that have been around for 50 years, or the much newer iOS apps and all of its totalitarian restrictions?

I'm tech savvy, and have no problems installing software from any source. Yet, I prefer the Mac App Store for most apps, as it is much more convenient. With anything I buy or download from other sources, I have to go find the software again when I install a new Mac or when I reinstall my Mac. With the Mac App Store, this is much easier. But, as there is no need to use the Mac App Store, and probably because of the payment rules by Apple, many popular apps are not in the Mac App Store.

Speaking for not so tech savvy people: my mom has managed to screw up her Mac by installing bad software. She hasn't managed to screw up her iPad or iPhone yet. For people like my mom, a curated App Store is really helpful.

So, in an ideal world, I would prefer the Mac App Store.

 

[Abazigal]

Well let’s look at the world of apps for Mac vs for iOS? Which one would you say offers consumers more choices? The un-sandboxed Mac apps that have been around for 50 years, or the much newer iOS apps and all of its totalitarian restrictions?

I personally prefer the iOS App Store for the better user experience.

For example, when I upgraded to an M1 MBA from my older 2012 laptop, I had to download all my apps again. But because I had downloaded them from separate websites, this meant having to go to the websites again. And because I no longer had the cd-key for some of the apps, it meant having to purchase them all over again if I wanted to continue using them.

With iOS, all the apps are readily available in the App Store, and it’s a simple matter to going to my purchased app folder and tapping on the apps I want back on my phone.

Using iTunes on iOS also means being able to track (and revoke) my subscriptions as and when I wish. The developer never gets my payment information. Then there are measures like ATT and Sign In with Apple as well.

Likewise, Apple has the advantage of starting with the App Store on iOS right from the start, so they are able to force developers to go through it. Which is to my benefit as the end user. Conversely, Apple has no such leverage on the Mac side of things, resulting in the Mac App Store being a barren wasteland.

Which brings me back to my initial point - that attempting to distill the discussion into “choice vs no choice” is disingenuous because choice alone is not the be-all and end-all of what makes for a great user experience. There’s also ease of use, convenience and security. All of which matter just as much, if not more, to me as well.

 

[arobert3434]

It shouldn’t: all apps run in a sandbox.. and not all apps follow the same rules.

Of course it affects security. If you use these external payment systems you are giving your credit card info to one more provider than before, so one more place your number and other information can be hacked.

I have no idea why a "consumer" organization is behind this suit. Apple does not release its own dating apps to compete on a nonlevel playing field, so there is zero benefit to consumers in these changes.

 

[ds2000]

Fortnite launching with a dating chat room soon

 

[ct2k7]

Of course it affects security. If you use these external payment systems you are giving your credit card info to one more provider than before, so one more place your number and other information can be hacked.

I have no idea why a "consumer" organization is behind this suit. Apple does not release its own dating apps to compete on a nonlevel playing field, so there is zero benefit to consumers in these changes.

Do you pay for things online?

My bank found that an entity storing card numbers and customer data in an integrated e-commerce site. That is the risk of storing all data somewhere

 

[FyrStrike]

The thing is … Apple needs to keep the simplicity of being able to cancel a subscription when a customer wants to. Even with alternative payment methods.

I really hate how many websites and online services convolute and hide their unsubscribe or cancel process so much that you have to spend time calling, emailing, contacting going to a desktop computer or laptop that service to unsubscribe. They even block the request desktop site option on iPhones using Safari.

With Apple I can easily unsubscribe from a service by going to Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions and cancel a service.

Not sure about it but if alternative payment methods are there, will we still be able to unsubscribe or cancel a service that easily? If not, I’m not using sites or apps that adopt alternate payment methods and will only use an app that uses Apple’s way.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I suppose that is a step in the right direction.

A-Haaa!


Just as the last article in this I stated Apple was wasting investor funds by allowing fines to grow to $50 abs suggested this cost be taken out of Cooks compensation.

Wasteful use of funds to allow these fines grow to such a level. Now Apple is wising up, no doubt as financial quarter coming to a close abs shareholder meeting announced just yesterday. Hmmm.

 

[ksec]

I am sadden to see so many people are happy to see Apple caving. Macrumors used to be the force of Apple! Pull out of the Netherland. Show them the power of Apple. Leave the Dutch iPhone user with no Siri or Apple Maps.

It is Apple's Devices, Apple iPhone and Apple's App Store. Everything belongs to Apple.

But not to worry Macrumors comrades, some day the Empire will strike back, and Apple will take back everything that rightly belongs to them!

 

[ct2k7]

A-Haaa!


Just as the last article in this I stated Apple was wasting investor funds by allowing fines to grow to $50 abs suggested this cost be taken out of Cooks compensation.

Wasteful use of funds to allow these fines grow to such a level. Now Apple is wising up, no doubt as financial quarter coming to a close abs shareholder meeting announced just yesterday. Hmmm.

As a shareholder, I’d be more than happy to see this come out of executives pay. This has no doubt been discussed at that level.

 

[Someyoungguy]

Amazing people applauding this as Globant just got announced as breached today. If this happened last year I bet a bunch of these would be using Globant built payment systems.

Sure install what you want give your info everywhere. The more you have out there the less chance of it being compromised! /s

Saving that imaginary 1.99 on that app (imaginary in that no company is going to lower prices they are just gonna pocket it) was really worth the emptied bank account.

Extremely intellectually dishonest, unless we are to believe you only read the bottom fifth of the articles here.

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/30/apple-user-data-forged-legal-requests/

 

[MysticCow]

Incoming fine in 3...2...1...

It will never be good enough.

 

[I7guy]

Oh my, who could've seen this coming..

And this is only the start.

True. We will see exactly what it is the start of. However, I think they needed to get their house in order as I just received an update to the developer agreement surrounding external links. We'll see.

 

[I7guy]

I am sadden to see so many people are happy to see Apple caving. Macrumors used to be the force of Apple! Pull out of the Netherland. Show them the power of Apple. Leave the Dutch iPhone user with no Siri or Apple Maps.

It is Apple's Devices, Apple iPhone and Apple's App Store. Everything belongs to Apple.

But not to worry Macrumors comrades, some day the Empire will strike back, and Apple will take back everything that rightly belongs to them!

Don't worry ksec. You'll bounce back. Being in the Apple world as a detractor is extremely tough. It takes courage to go against the masses and say dissolve Apple, take their assets, regulate them into the ground. It's my phone and I'll damn well do what I please. (similar to it's my car and I'll drive as fast as I want).

You'll be back to 100% in no-time. /s

Now, about the topic at hand.

 

[yabeweb]

Lol glad to see Apple caving. According to many folks here, Apple would just eat the “puny fines” or pull out of the Netherlands.

According to many folks here, Apple should pull from so many market that it would probably not sell products at all (Korea, China, India Netherlands, Italy and the list goes on.)

 

[svish]

Hopefully this will be enough and the troubles Apple is having with ACM will come to an end.