Apple should make iCloud and the App Store so reliable and convenient as to convince developers and users to use them, not by using rules to force developers and users to use them.
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Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction
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Deservingly so, Apple's failure to comply costed our company around 10k in development fees and time.
Literally all apple had to do was charge a reasonable amount, 5%-10% and nobody would have batted an eye. 30% is criminal.
Yet they reversed course the next day on their policies. Looks like they just lacked the proper perspective and motivations, because it's not a process or money or manpower problem
Some time? How many more years did they need? They had from 2021 to January of 2024 to implement the court ordered remedies and they didn’t do it. From the article:
Another frivolous lawsuit. What it with these greedy software developers like Epic? Why do they think they shouldn’t have to play commissions to the retailers that sell their products and services for them?
Apple is being sued by developers unhappy with the company's "willful violation" of the anti-steering injunction the court ordered as part of its legal battle with Epic Games. A company called Pure Sweat Basketball has teamed up with law firm Hagens Berman to file a class-action lawsuit against Apple in an attempt to win some money for developers.
The lawsuit focuses on the recent Apple vs. Epic Games decision where Apple was found to be in contempt of court. Back in 2021, Apple was ordered to relax its anti-steering rules that prevent developers from directing customers to purchase options outside of the App Store. Because of appeals, Apple didn't have to comply until January 17, 2024, but when it did, Apple did so in a way that the court said was anticompetitive.
Apple forced developers to pay between 12 and 27 percent in commission when customers made a purchase through an app using an external payment link, which was an issue because developers also had to pay payment processors. Apple also had strict rules allowing only a single link and it used scare screens to try to prevent customers from making purchases outside of the App Store.
Apple last week was forced to change its U.S. App Store policies to support external payment links in apps with no restrictions, a decision that Apple is appealing, but the class action lawsuit argues that developers should be compensated for the trouble. It claims that Apple's moves to circumvent the injunction cost developers "billions of dollars" in revenue.
Due to Apple's anti-steering implementation, only 34 developers of 136,000 took advantage of the external payment link option before the terms were changed last week, and the lawsuit is seeking restitution for all U.S. developers who offered in-app purchases for non-zero prices between January 17, 2024 and when Apple fully complied with the original injunction.
Apple should be forced to disgorge all of its "ill-gotten gains," according to the lawsuit. The law firm that's handling the case, Hagens Berman, previously secured a $100 million settlement for developers over Apple's App Store fees.
Article Link: Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction
Let’s remember — all of these Apple features benefit *consumers*. That’s who the law is supposed to protect, not greedy developers like Tim Sweeney and company.
Our app cannot use in app purchases because Apple does not offer metered billing, in addition IAP are limited to $999 whereas some of our clients are paying 3k-5k a month. So by every account IT IS IMPOSSIBLE for our business to use in app purchases. We fought with apple for MONTHS to even allow our app on the app store. Finally they agreed IF and only IF:
- We do not allow users to sign up in app, they have to sign up from our website.
- We DO NOT LINK our website ANYWHERE within the app
- We cannot allow users to manage their license (cancel, change, etc) within the app NOR can we send them a link to show them WHERE to do this.
You know who loses because of Apple's decision to ignore the court order? Consumers.
These are the consequences of Apple’s actions. This is how the world is supposed to work. You can’t just break the law with no consequences in a functioning society
So… delete your bloodline because lawyers exist? Lol whut, you’re literally letting them win, bro.
Last time I defied a court order, my butt was in jail. I even asked the judge "you were serious about that?"
Apple simps on this forum will argue this is reasonable.
In what sense is the world overpopulated? I realize that was a myth in the 60s and 70s, but you could fit everyone on the planet in just the lower 48 and still give every human being almost a quarter of an acre and still have the rest of the planet as a nature reserve and agricultural land. The US alone tosses 60 million tons of food per year (not spoiled… perfectly good). That’s enough for a decent size town to live on if not more. The main issue with population in certain areas is either unhealthy density or lack of infrastructure allowing for food to get to those in most need (whether it’s an urban “food desert” or in a third world nation with corrupt leadership).
More directly connected with the article, I don’t understand people being excited about Apple getting taken to task over this. A judge has determined that Apple has to share, and has determined exactly what that looks like with no apparent negotiation. Apple has to make a profit to keep shareholders happy (and there’s a bit of a legal expectation there too). All the people who are excited about this should realize that Apple is just going to raise the price of their hardware to compensate (though maybe they should sue Nintendo for having a closed system too to make money there instead). I’m disappointed in the judge and in the EU and in others. Apple has 90% phone market share in the US, but they don’t elsewhere, and regardless of where, people can just buy a different kind of phone if they don’t like Apple (which I know has been mentioned ad nauseum here and elsewhere).
That’s how it works in my country, it’s the general rule and the judge has to specifically deviate from it if they don’t want it to be the case. It shocks me hearing about people/businesses in the USA bankrupting a rival through repeated court battles despite losing every case.
seems its been very hard for some app devs to follow the agreement they signed up willingly to...
how many times have we seen small devs get on here and defend the fees they pay?
the trusted AppStore environment handles so much of what they need without hassles and needing huge overheads.
tools to develop, checked app, trusted app store, free downloads, marketing, payments.
it's easy for single person devs to actually release and make money.
it's always the big end who whinge. forgetting it they sold their wares through bricks and mortar the return after all their efforts could be down around 10% when all the middle men and shops take their cuts.
more power to the little guys who Apple have helped enormously.
did you get evicted when you brought a pet into a rental unit and had signed a clause "no pets"?
that's what's happening here. devs signed on knowing the AppStore processed payments. app purchasers like they can keep their credit details secure and pay without hassle.
and nothing stops the app devs from doing what many do: pay outside and sign in to an app with your ID.
Apple gets nothing that way. People know what to do. It's really not that hard.
Don’t want to get “taken advantage of” (translation: Have access to literally millions of paying users who have credit cards in the system just one click and verification away from purchasing your app) by Apple? Don’t do business with them. I’ve never entered into any commission agreement with Apple that I didn’t agree with in my life. BILLIONS of us have, somehow, been able to avoid entering into a commission agreement with Apple that we don’t agree with. Takes more will power than some have, I guess.
Apparently, since they first opened the App Store years and years ago. Makes one wonder why all these governments around the world approved it doing business within their borders in the first place. All they had to do was tell Apple “No App Stores”, nipped in the bud!
So, what did Standard Oil do? And, more importantly, what about what they did parallels Apple?
YEAH! And, Apple should work hard making hardware people want to own and amassing a large number of customers accustomed to and willing to pay for digital purchases! I bet that would convince users to buy the products and developers to make money selling apps to those users!
Nah, there’s lots of areas where increased revenue can be realized without having to raise prices of hardware or factor in their payment as a part of of a purchase. Right now, you pay Apple $99 a year to be a dev and, when you call, there’s got to be someone that answers and works with you on your issue. That could easily scale up to those that have their app downloaded more AND even set up a tiered system. Use the App Store for IAP, same rate on the dev fee. Use outside the store and you’re charged according to how many times they’ve delivered an app to your customers. And how many times they’ve facilitated DLC. If that’s in the millions, dev fee in the millions.
Or maybe just maybe, Epic could have abided by the rules they agreed to and gone about filing a grievance the proper way, rather than willfully breaking said rules and then playing victim.
Crazy idea I know.