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Apple will always try to be super clever interpreting juridiction and do whatever they can to make it as miserable as possible for developers to use alternate payment systems. So they get what they deserve.
 
But it’s voluntary, in that you’re not forced to be on the App Store. So “theft” is pushing it a bit.
People have no clue when they make the "theft" comment.

Consider ebooks sold through Amazon. Amazon currently controls around 80% of the ebook market in the United States. If you price your ebook from $2.99 to $9.99, Amazon takes a 30% commission. If you price your ebook outside of that range, Amazon takes a 65% commission.

So not only does Amazon have a dominant position in the market, they also have the so-called "high rates of commission" and use it for enforcing pricing control.
 
you can build a web app that shows up on the home screen and runs in a dedicated browser instance. this method was here ages ago. and it even can send notifications. no install or app store review required.
 
If you price your ebook from $2.99 to $9.99, Amazon takes a 30% commission. If you price your ebook outside of that range, Amazon takes a 65% commission.
don't forget the extra they charge for downloaded bytes. the price really makes the mobile operators with their overpriced data packages blush
 
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Hmmm. If the intent of the ACM is to force Apple out of the commission, Apple might take some drastic steps. We'll see where this goes.
Yeah, basically they are expecting Apple to say: “Here, use my infrastructure to advertise and distribute your product, and while you make money, I’ll just sit here making nothing.”.
 
Why only dating apps! I wondered. - Turns out, if you were dating siri or something virtual (digital), then in-app commission is applicable. Since dating apps is all about people/human's then no commission is needed. Apple should be happy that nobody has sued it for this lapse, including the dutch regulators who saw this to be similar to uber or amazon apps, that do not pay any commission and the transactions are carried out by their own payment gateway options.

This only proves that the dutch regulation agrees with apple and its 30% commission for digital goods and services, I think thats a fine observation by the dutch authorities.
 
In the same way that you don't have to pay protection money to the mafia, you just have to leave, right?
Nonsensical comparison. Mafia "protection" involves them going to an existing business and demanding money not to ruin it. Obviously, developers did not have an existing App Store business prior to Apple's involvement. Apple created the operating system and the store. Then the developers made their own decision to release apps through the store.
 
No it's not. In the grand scheme the fine is meaningless. Apple is not going to start a precedent by giving up it's commissions.
Especially not for a tiny market like the Netherlands. Maybe a mid-sized market like Japan or a major market like U.S. and China, but I think Apple would probably rather just pay the fine than implement a precedence in this case.
 
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At this point, it’ll be best to just remove all the dating apps from the Apple store so Apple doesn’t have to deal with this. Not worth the fight.

The problem with doing this is that the ruling is only limited to dating apps because a coalition of dating apps made the complaint. Any other sector making the same complaint (and they will, Spotify are just waiting for this to complete) will very likely succeed, and the ruling is on the basis of European competition law, so it is very likely the precedent of this will spread to dozens of other countries, even aside from forthcoming legislation mandating it.

And exiting the European market would cost Apple a lot (lot) more than closing down the app store entirely.

I'd also like to take a moment to laugh at anyone who downvoted my comment last week saying that Apple's approach here was clearly not going to work with competition regulators in the Netherlands (https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-in-app-payment-options.2331585/post-30783001)
 
I don't think anyone is going to pay a higher fee and why should the consumers be punished?
They wouldn't have a choice, right? When the prices go up, they simply do. Maybe consumers can reach out to their representatives and ask that they work in everyone's best interest and not just one industry.
 
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The problem with doing this is that the ruling is only limited to dating apps because a coalition of dating apps made the complaint. Any other sector making the same complaint (and they will, Spotify are just waiting for this to complete) will very likely succeed, and the ruling is on the basis of European competition law, so it is very likely the precedent of this will spread to dozens of other countries, even aside from forthcoming legislation mandating it.
Spotify already had to provide their financial records to the EU in their prior complaint about Apple. Less than 1% of their iOS subscriptions are actually subject to Apple's commission. Essentially, they lied to the EU when making their original complaint about commissions.
 
Intresting responses here. I see three main catagories:

1) Finally someone is doing something
2) The fine is way to low
3) the dutch are crazy and should be punished

And its option 3 I genuinely do not understand. Whats with the punishing Dutch iPhone users? Is it protectionism of your favourite brand? So the Dutch government attacks your friend, you attack the Dutch governments friends? Explain this to me. I really would like to understand the logic.

(as for my opinion on this ruling. I really dont have one. I couldn't care less if Apple makes all the money or they have to share it around a bit.)
 
At this point, you could say that Apple got to being worth 2 trillion dollars through theft.

That 30% cut is disgusting.

Theft. How do you figure it’s theft when customers volunteer to go and are knowingly paying for the product. Is your salary theft or an agreed upon exchange of money for service?

This is a voluntary arrangement. Apple volunteers to play in a specific market. Those customers volunteer to buy Apple products. If either side doesn’t like it they can go their separate ways. Nobody is forcing the Dutch to buy Apple and nobody is forcing Apple to support a Dutch anything.

Seems that if the price of doing business with Dutch dating lowers the desired profit margins, the solution is simple. Raise prices to accommodate or pull the apps all together and move along. God forbid human beings go back to interacting with other human beings to find a date.
 
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