Arizona Bill That Would Let Developers Avoid Apple's In-App Purchase Rules Scrapped After Intense Lobbying

[macsound1]

I know this has been an ongoing argument for a long time, but I truly don't understand the logistics of it.
How would you install the other app store on your iPhone? From Apple's App Store?

If you could install it directly from the website then anyone could make something that looks like an app store to get installed and then completely take over the device. Right?

I'm not a developer and I assume most people on this forum aren't either, but I really don't see how it's possible for anyone to be responsible for the security and clarity of the iPhone except Apple, and if they allow installs from anywhere, then they can't oversee the security anymore.

 

[subi257]

The 30% is nothing to do with covering the cost of running the App Store any more than the 30% cut to Nintendo is for covering the cost of a plastic cartridge and printed sleeve. Those items are negligible expenses. The 30% is what you pay to access millions of Apple/Nintendo customers. Building those kinds of customer bases takes vast effort and years, if not decades of building trust, so the companies that put in that effort have every right to make a profit off of other business that want access.

The physical cost of running the app store/iCloud infrastructure is/can be huge. At work I have 720TB of Avid editing servers. They are end of life every 5ish years and have be replaced at a cost of $100k for a 200TB chassis. Plus 24/7/365 Cooling. etc.

This whole thing os getting ridiculous, from the standpoint of companies all over the country/world sell services of all types. Where is it the right of anybody to state to them what they can charge. Credit cards..master card and visa charge 2-3% Amex charges 5% (at least when I worked there) nobody said they can"t. My thought is that companies should not rape and pillage their customers...but if they do, it should be their choice and they should go out of business. No?

 

[gnipgnop]

Ask yourself honestly: could or should such a town exist in the USA? And more importantly, is such a town normal in any way? Would it not make much, much more sense to simply chose to use that one store if you trust it so much, regardless of how many other stores are in town?

U.S. anti-trust law actually takes things like that into account. For example, there are plenty of towns/cities in the U.S. that only have a single newspaper, but that by itself isn't enough to view the newspaper as an abusive monopoly. You would need to be able to prove that they were intentionally stifling competition in some significant way, not just other publishers looking at that specific city/town market and thinking it couldn't support more than one newspaper.

Can Epic prove Apple is really stifling competition with only a single store on iOS? It depends entirely on Epic being successful in convincing judges/lawmakers that iOS has no competition other than itself as an app market. Considering that the press and tech industry have always viewed Android as a competitor to iOS, it appears to be a hard sell.

 

[JosephAW]

More likely paid off.

 

[sw1tcher]

I know this has been an ongoing argument for a long time, but I truly don't understand the logistics of it.
How would you install the other app store on your iPhone? From Apple's App Store?

If you could install it directly from the website then anyone could make something that looks like an app store to get installed and then completely take over the device. Right?

I'm not a developer and I assume most people on this forum aren't either, but I really don't see how it's possible for anyone to be responsible for the security and clarity of the iPhone except Apple, and if they allow installs from anywhere, then they can't oversee the security anymore.

I can get and install an app for macOS from any source. Somehow Apple (and the end user) still manages to oversee the security of the Mac.

 

[Wildkraut]

In all honesty, yes the App Store is a lucrative business, but it has served as a good portal.

Assuming I were ever given the choice between the App Store or XYZ-store, I'd pick Apple's App Store. I value my privacy, and tight control. Yes, there is a chance devs have to fork over a 15% or 30% commission, but nothing is free. Developer tools require an input.

My $0.02

As long you can pick it, and aren’t forced to use it, it’s totally fine.

 

[bacaramac]

This is embarrassing since I live in AZ. These freaking devs would be no where without these app stores. Apple gives the platform, tools, distribution, etc and these clowns want to bypass Apple making money and still use the platform and distribution. Not even sure how this is a problem. Apple I guess could give deva option to pay flat 30% or have fees for everything they offer. Tools, distribution, consumption charges. Bet they would shut up quick.

 

[WiseAJ]

Lobbying vs Lobbying. Guess Apple's/Google's lobbyists were better than the Coalition of Whiner's.

 

[gnipgnop]

As long you can pick it, and aren’t forced to use it, it’s totally fine.

In the Psystar lawsuit, the court system ruled that Apple restricting the use of OS X to Apple's own hardware was not a form of abusive monopoly power. Psystar was a company that purchased copies of OS X and then installed them on their own Mac clones for sale to the general public. So in that case, your only choice for purchasing a computer with OS X installed on it was to buy it from Apple. And it was perfectly legal for Apple to limit the choice in that way.

 

[WiseAJ]

I can’t wait for the day that I can go to Best Buy and use a computer station or cash register set up in the store (by Sony) to buy a Sony Product being sold by Best Buy but bypassing the markup Best Buy have on the product. It’s gonna be great. SMH.

I mean you could technically go into a Best Buy, use one of the demo computers to go to the Sony or any other website and buy anything to have it shipped to your house.

 

[WiseAJ]

Imagine that you lived in a town where there was only one grocery store, from one company. Whenever people say there should be more grocery stores, you tell them to move to a different town where there are multiple stores. You say people should have the choice to live in a town where there's one store, because it reduces the risk of people buying low quality or even poisoned food.

Ask yourself honestly: could or should such a town exist in the USA? And more importantly, is such a town normal in any way? Would it not make much, much more sense to simply chose to use that one store if you trust it so much, regardless of how many other stores are in town?

Sure, Just think of the one company as the entire town's HOA. Don't like it? Then why did you decide to live in the town in the first place? It was built like that from day one. It's not like they suddenly changed an existing town and forced out every other company stores.

 

[Rochy Bay]

I’m

It was lobbying that introduced the bill and lobbying that got the bill killed.

So sad! Dirty, dirty Epic.

The good news is that voters can reach out to their representatives and ask for more explanation about this. In fact, thats what i will do.

 

[Rochy Bay]

You mean a bill literally written by a lobbyist failed when other lobbyists pointed out its actual consequences

There is nothing wrong with lobbying (even the actions of the Coalition for App Fairness are fine). Lobbying is just the name we give for individuals or groups of individuals with shared interests, trying to influence legislation. It includes letter/eMail/phone campaigns by concerned people. Paid lobbyists represent companies (groups of share holders and employees), unions (groups of employees), trade organizations (groups of companies that are themselves groups of people), professional societies, like the ACM, AMA, IEEE, (groups of individuals) and interest organizations like Focus on the Family and the Sierra Club (groups of individual).

People join these organizations specifically to pursue shared interests and to have them best represented.

This is my two cents about this, reach out to your representatives and remind them who votes.

 

[I7guy]

I’m

The good news is that voters can reach out to their representatives and ask for more explanation about this. In fact, thats what i will do.

As a voter in Arizona you should. And you should also find out if the legislaters believe the cure is ultimately worse than the disease.

 

[Rochy Bay]

Yes, I agree with you. But this could could have serious ramifications across al business across the entire country. It could kill some companies and reduce others. The 30% is not simply a random fee, there is the cost of running the operation. They might have to switch to an AWS model....charge developers for amount of storage on servers and per MB of data up and down

But i bet

Sure, Just think of the one company as the entire town's HOA. Don't like it? Then why did you decide to live in the town in the first place? It was built like that from day one. It's not like they suddenly changed an existing town and forced out every other company stores.

^ how Apple thinks. Don’t like it ? Too bad we care about your money and data only.

 

[WiseAJ]

But i bet

^ how Apple thinks. Don’t like it ? Too bad we care about your money and data only.

And nothing about it is illegal... Don't like it? Well vote with your money and buy elsewhere. Welcome to America where capitalism rules.

 

[Rochy Bay]

As a voter in Arizona you should. And you should also find out if the legislaters believe the cure is ultimately worse than the disease.

Not just in Arizona, i think everyone should point this out to their politicians in every state. Politicians surely are after Facebook but only because it damages their image. Any other antitrust such as Apple’s is not talked about in the media. Meanwhile the company is exporting money and work while abusing labor laws. Cray cray!

 

[subi257]

But i bet

^ how Apple thinks. Don’t like it ? Too bad we care about your money and data only.

And name another "for profit" company that thinks differently? That is part of the reason that they exist. It can be looked at as a "chicken or the egg" they are there to make a profit....but they are there to sell a product and make customers happy. Which comes first depends on if you are a shareholder or a customer. As every other company....capitalism, it's what made this country what it is.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Lobbying vs Lobbying. Guess Apple's/Google's lobbyists were better than the Coalition of Whiner's.

Plus, the Coalition doesn’t really have a leg to stand on. When approached by a group that says they are aggrieved and that group has money, the pol’s are willing to listen. However, when another group comes along and lays out the lower level details on how it affects the businesses involved (many of these pols are involved in businesses or related to those that run businesses), they understand that it’s effectively businesses entering into agreements and where one wants to change the terms, but do so legally rather than through negotiation. When you add to that that the aggrieved party started with an act that ran afoul of their standing contract, support will always crater.

 

[I7guy]

Not just in Arizona, i think everyone should point this out to their politicians in every state. Politicians surely are after Facebook but only because it damages their image. Any other antitrust such as Apple’s is not talked about in the media. Meanwhile the company is exporting money and work while abusing labor laws. Cray cray!

Not sure what you are saying, but the allegations are uninformed. But I agree it's a good idea to contact your legislature and give your thoughts on the matter.

 

[subi257]

I know this has been an ongoing argument for a long time, but I truly don't understand the logistics of it.
How would you install the other app store on your iPhone? From Apple's App Store?

If you could install it directly from the website then anyone could make something that looks like an app store to get installed and then completely take over the device. Right?

I'm not a developer and I assume most people on this forum aren't either, but I really don't see how it's possible for anyone to be responsible for the security and clarity of the iPhone except Apple, and if they allow installs from anywhere, then they can't oversee the security anymore.

Unless, maybe they create a parallel app store that is more open but they still at least vet the apps for trojans, malware, etc. Then have a different fee structure.

 

[subi257]

Not just in Arizona, i think everyone should point this out to their politicians in every state. Politicians surely are after Facebook but only because it damages their image. Any other antitrust such as Apple’s is not talked about in the media. Meanwhile the company is exporting money and work while abusing labor laws. Cray cray!

Abusing what labor laws? Has anybody personally seen the process? Our labor laws don't apply in other countries. I'm sure there are no "children chained to tables" as some people are postulating

 

[Cosmosent]

Follow the Money !

 

[BvizioN]

Common sense prevails, which in this world has become a rare thing.

 

[Glideslope]

A nice reality check for many in these forums. You have the wealth, you make the rules. It’s not changing. It’s been this way for thousands of years on this planet. Sure, there are brief periods of unrest with short duration results.

Get a degree in a lucrative industry and become wealthy if you want to try and move the goalposts. Otherwise you’re just sitting on the sideline complaining about those who have what you don’t.

The monetary power to affect change.