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Apple Has 'Lost Sight of the Tech Industry's Founding Principles,' Says Epic Games CEO
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Magazines turned down adverts for all kinds of reasons, like your game being too violent. And just brush over that most of my statement is regarding brick and mortar shops to better fit your own narrative.
I don't necessarily disagree - but, if you are claiming that upfront fee covers downloads, then I guess that 30% isn't necessary either.
He was complaining about the idea of his app being charged per downloads. Most free apps are insignificant and could get charged $1-2 a year for distribution. So I don't see the problem with apps being charged what it actually costs to distribute them. Then apps like Fortnite could pay thousands or millions for all the free copies distributed without subsidizing "freeloaders". But Apple wouldn't break that out, they like claiming their 30% actually covers some imaginary expense.
Considering developers got way less of the sale proce before app stores; 30% is quite reasonable of a cut especially considering what Apple proviodes to developrs in exchange.
Exactly. Epic just wants more money and the same access to Apple's iOS user base.
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Again, YOU NEVER NEEDED brick and mortar stores. Before the internet there existed BBSs you could dial up to. You could mail order software. I purchased software both ways, and I was way under 18 in age yet I still managed to figure out how to do it. It wasn't that hard. Could you be super successful without retail? It would be hard, but not impossible. Again, they were not a platform gatekeeper.
While I believe that Apple’s cut is too high, this sort of comments from a large developer are laughable.
I would welcome a surprise move from Apple whereby smaller developers pay less, larger ones pay the same - similar to a Govt tax. There you go Epic, you end up paying the same (in the best case).
I would love that. And it would be more equal and supportive of the community.
I would welcome a surprise move from Apple whereby smaller developers pay less, larger ones pay the same - similar to a Govt tax. There you go Epic, you end up paying the same (in the best case).
I would love that. And it would be more equal and supportive of the community.
Epic make an interesting point here, well worth discussing, IMO. However, it still does not give them right to intentionally break the terms of their agreement with Apple. Epic are also not prevented by Apple to deal directly with their customers and charge any amounts they want, they are just removed from iOS and MacOS, both of which have a reasonably small OS% worldwide.
definitely with Epic on this one
30% is huge
The app store sucks for app discovery
The walled garden of iOS isn't a feature
30% is huge
The app store sucks for app discovery
The walled garden of iOS isn't a feature
No one’s stopping Epic from creating its own App Store. They *chose* to be on the iPhone instead of creating their own platform. They read the contract terms and agreed to abide by them. Then, they broke their word.
Just because something i “central to daily life in the modern era” doesn’t mean you’re entitled to use it for free. That’s the sort of whining that gives Millennials a bad name.
Only iOS. They can do whatever they want on macOS including peddling their one store. Though it is quite a bit harder for them to get Mac users to download when they don't have as many games to poach and push into exclusivity deals when users have already pre-ordered on their preferred store.
The problem with charging for d/ls, as I see it, is it shifts the risk to developers for no good reason. A fixed cut lets Apple and the developer make money based on the actual sales, so a developer is not having to pay upfront for an app that is widely downloaded but where most do not make any in app purchases. In addition, every update would incur a large cost if yiu have a large user base; so apps might get less frequent updates, bug fixes and new features to avoid incurring those costs; hurting consumers.
No matter what Apple charged for d/ls the cry would be "it's too high."
In addition, Apple would no doubt introduce charges for other costs, besides d/l, that are part of getting an app on the apps store, such as reviewing the app, featuring it on the landing page, etc.; all of which would hurt the small developer and free apps.
They'd still subsidize others since they are the bulk of the revenue; and pretty much how retail works. Something has to foot the bills andnot every product will cover the actual costs of carrying it but are carried anyway to bring in customers.
After the initial disagreement, I think that Epic would have done better keeping quiet.
I think that the Epic CEO has a future in politics
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I think that the Epic CEO has a future in politics
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@TimSweeneyEpic is not #speakingonmyname. Tentative extort silent approval claiming #Apple is bad guy because #Epic want pay less being #AppleStore is a fake! I expect Cos. paid being there & me too. This grant quality & support.
@tim_cook is not Evil@all #Appleuser rise u voice
@tim_cook is not Evil@all #Appleuser rise u voice
I don't play fortnite, but I thought you could purchase these IAP via Epic themselves? Also, Epic has removed the game from MacOS which seems to go against what they are fighting for since you can use any app store you want on MacOS. I can't reconcile these two competing scenarios with what the Epic CEO says.
Rather than launch grandstanding litigation, the correct approach is to open a dialog and talk.
If Apple's fees are too high, sit down with them and talk. They are interested in developer's opinions. But be prepared to come with facts, because you know Apple will.
30% may seem like a lot of money until you have to pay for all of what Apple provides. Talk about it with them, they want to listen.
But when you drag it into court, you take away their ability to talk.
The only thing that is non-negotiable is side loading. But everything else could be on the table if Epic (and others) would just turn down the temperature a bit.
If Apple's fees are too high, sit down with them and talk. They are interested in developer's opinions. But be prepared to come with facts, because you know Apple will.
30% may seem like a lot of money until you have to pay for all of what Apple provides. Talk about it with them, they want to listen.
But when you drag it into court, you take away their ability to talk.
The only thing that is non-negotiable is side loading. But everything else could be on the table if Epic (and others) would just turn down the temperature a bit.
But you also have to remember that before the mid 80’s computer virus were pretty much nonexistent so you did not have to worry much about malware. There were a lots of people downloading illegal copies of software in those days also before the Internet.
The rights of creators?
It takes some chutzpah to bring up such rights considering what Mr. Sweeney, i.e. Epic, is doing and trying to do. He‘s stealing Apple’s intellectual property and asking a court to sanction his ongoing theft.
Mr. Sweeney isn’t defending creators’ rights, he’s trying to undermine them.
It takes some chutzpah to bring up such rights considering what Mr. Sweeney, i.e. Epic, is doing and trying to do. He‘s stealing Apple’s intellectual property and asking a court to sanction his ongoing theft.
Mr. Sweeney isn’t defending creators’ rights, he’s trying to undermine them.
IMO it comes down to this. Everyone here is demanding Apple get paid for everything they put into the store and all their expenses. If one believes that, then they should believe free apps should pay their fair share of costs, whether they get 10 downloads or 1 billion downloads. No reason developers who "CHOOSE" to monetize their app somehow should be forced to pay for developers who "CHOOSE" to give it away for free. After all, it was "your" choice to publish a "FREE" app, why is it someone else's responsibility to pay for your choice?
I personally believe the App Store promotes iPhone/iPad sales and Apple should stop trying to turn massive profits on it, after all - no apps would mean no sales in 2020 as long as their competitors allowed apps.
So 50 years ago when RCA sold record players, they should not have charge people for RCA records? Because the records helped them sell players?
Apple is standing up for its money.
What? thats taken to the extreme of utter nonsense. Shipping and distributing a your own physical product to sell a cheap player vs digital distribution of someone elses product to sell your general purpose handheld computer.
