Let me rephrase that for you. A bunch of stupid people around here who think when they buy an AppleTV from Walmart, go home, and subscribe to AppleTV+ that Walmart must be entitled to 30% of the proceeds because they initiated the sale with the customer, while providing none of the service or content creation/distribution that the recurring subscription fee covers.
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Epic Games vs. Apple Judgment Allows App Store Developers to Link to Alternative Payment Methods
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Let me rephrase that for you. A bunch of stupid people around here who think when they buy an AppleTV from Walmart, go home, and subscribe to AppleTV+ that Walmart must be entitled to 30% of the proceeds because they initiated the sale with the customer, while providing none of the service or content creation/distribution that the recurring subscription fee covers.
I see how big devs benefit from this, but I don't really see how small time devs or users benefit. The 15% that small-time devs are paying right now also goes to maintain the infrastructure, support and APIs. If Apple decides to charge for app listings (which I hope they don't), everybody except Google looses big time. Well, time will tell. I think Apple will simply take a cut to the App Store revenues, it's a penny for them. The ruling is definitely a blow to the solidarity-based economic model, but that equal opportunity access to the App Store is more important than App Store revenue.
I’ve been a software and game developer for decades. I remember when we were lucky if we got to keep 10% of the retail price - you are clueless. The 30% to Apple is a bargain.
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Dear Epic,
You will also have to provide alternative payment methods directing users away from your own Epic Games Store on all platforms.
You will also have to provide alternative payment methods directing users away from your own Epic Games Store on all platforms.
Should ISP’s profit because iOS apps would be worthless without the internet?
They agreed to allow a single link out for "reader" apps only for account management. This ruling applies to every app and doesn't restrict to a single link.
What exactly do you love about it? The fact Apple can use its monopoly power to punish not only Epic but also discourage other developers for standing up for themselves?
This is not at all what the judge said. For Epic to only include their own payment system and leave Apple's out is the exact opposite of what the judge said Apple couldn't do. Epic will have to leave in Apple's system, but also link to their own. This isn't a whole lot different than the status quo. I do not play fortnite, but I am assuming most players know there are already other options to buy vbucks then IAP.
Apple can literally put in their contracts the developers must offer IAP as an option in their apps, and as long as Apple also allows the link to the alternative it is perfectly legal.
I spend a lot - probably more than the average consumer. But you are making a good point that I don’t have much experience lately with having to go through the old ways of subscribing through websites.
but I just thought of another example. “Cricut” Is a crafty CNC cutting machine and they offer all their crafty little plans on the website and it’s a yearly subscription or a monthly subscription or whatever and I forgot when the renewal date was and I was very angry that I had to spend like $85 for something I haven’t used for six months.
it wasn’t so hard to cancel but it was one of those things were you get a hobby machine something interesting but then you don’t play with it much and then you forgot that you subscribed to it. And I was lazy and did not check my visa statements carefully. That’s how Cricut gets a lot of their profit I guarantee it - lazy people like me who don’t always keep good bank reconciliations and mainly just pay their monthly visa bill Without even reading it very carefully
To any iOS Devs reading, if you require I use an outside payment system for your app then I will not be purchasing.
don’t get me wrong I agree considering this is epic games primarily concern and that it’s a huge blow
but epic lost a lot more than apple, they wanted to destroy the company and secondly if apple fails to appeal this and it has to happen by force apple won’t bring back Epic Games to the App Store as PUNISHMENT so epic will miss out on this in App Store payments thing while others won’t😁
If Tim Cook and Phil Schiller really want to be jerks they could do that. This is just the beginning not the end. Just wait until Congress gets involved. Apple could have chosen to get ahead of this. Instead it looks like they’re going to fight every one and do the bare minimum regulators require.
Developers can stand up and walk out next door to Android if they feel their relationship with Apple is punishing.
Nope.
Seems judge acknowledged Epic violated a contract, and was ejected as a consequence - with no recourse to return.
Not unusual for businesses to strain legal limits a bit to see what they can achieve, and sometimes get swatted back by a judge.
Apple just got told to relax a bit about tightening payment restrictions.
Epic just got told that breaking contracts has consequences.
Epic technically won, but a Phyrric victory: everyone else gets alternate in-app payments (though Apple will likely remain best & smoothest), but Epic's contract violation means their whole catalog stays off the App Store - permanently.
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How so? Or, to put it another way, how would this be different from a "community" vs "pro" vs "enterprise" licensing model?
How does Apple defend their position when it doesn’t apply to non-digital goods and they created an entire category to exempt some digital goods?
You honestly think Apple will let developers use iOS platform and pay nothing for it? Developers will end up paying in high licensing fees. The effect of this is polar opposite of what you’ve suggested.
Did you read the ruling? The judge says they are not a monopoly. As other commenters have mentioned, prior to the App Store, software developers were lucky if they got to keep 10% of the revenue in some cases (usually was closer to 30%) – now thanks to Apple they get to keep 70% and access a ginormous customer base, and they feel entitled to MORE!!!
Consumers/Developers 1
Apple 0
Next anti-trust lawsuit against Apple is gimping 3rd party browsers and forcing them to use Apple webkit engine instead of their own Blink/Gecko engines. Disgusting anti-consumer behavior.
Apple 0
Next anti-trust lawsuit against Apple is gimping 3rd party browsers and forcing them to use Apple webkit engine instead of their own Blink/Gecko engines. Disgusting anti-consumer behavior.
No they can't - Apple has a monopoly position in app store profits, as recently determined by Congress.