I’m a small iOS/Android developer who makes money from the App Store. I loathe in app purchases and prefer to sell my product direct to customers. Because of that, I love the app stores, especially since both now only charge 15% to people like me. Apple and Google completely take away the complexity of dealing with payments. In the end, the only businesses this will help are the large ones. I cannot move to my own payment system as it would be a burden to me. Also, I think any 3rd party payment systems will just charge 10-13% per sale anyway, which isn’t enough savings to me to make it worth my while. Obviously, if I see a real benefit to my business, I’ll change. But it will be a couple of years before we see the ramifications of this ruling.
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Epic Games vs. Apple Judgment Allows App Store Developers to Link to Alternative Payment Methods
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Epic Games might win but they will lose access to the App Store hehe. The ruling said too that Epic violated Apple's agreement. So they could win, but lose more at the end. I would not allow them in my platform.
I’m waiting for the ‘Default Search Engine’ case where Apple will not be able to make Google the default one
Yeah, it will come back up though. Consider it a buying opportunity.Stock is crashing.
Only if Epic caves and comes back in-line with Apple's policies and gets the apps re-approved. That takes time.
They might appeal instead. Or they might do both.
Maybe Just USA they also sued in the EU and others that may see things in an differnt way.
This doesn't effect Amazon, Netfix, Disney,etc. Amazon has in app purchases that Appple doesn't a cut of. Netflix can be paided outside of App.
Let me rephrase it for you.
You think Apple should provide a service to Epic, who pays $99 a year, to collect tens (hundreds) of millions of dollars and to pay Apple nothing...but $99 a year.
I think this is another step in the right direction to break open the monolithic app store that is detrimental to consumers and Apple alike (although Apple hasn't realized it yet ... at least not publicly).
It was unrealistic to expect the judge to issue a ruling that would allow alternative app stores on iOS. That will surely comes from legislation.
It was unrealistic to expect the judge to issue a ruling that would allow alternative app stores on iOS. That will surely comes from legislation.
Why do people keep talking about the cost of running the App Store when most apps are free or free with ads? And when a vibrant App Store with all the best apps is what gets people to spend money on premium Apple hardware? Also it’s pretty clear Apple is making far more money from in-app purchases than it needs to run the App Store. Most of IAP is pure profit for Apple.
No.
Tim tweeted Fortnite will not return until they get what they want. Which they won't. So its dead.
"Can" is different from "will". It will be interesting to see what Apple decides to do.
You bring up a good point. A new licensing model may allow something like that.
Does this mean Apple has to allow alternative app stores in iOS? Or just that they have to allow apps to link to alternative payment processing options? Can Apple still require apps to allow users to choose between apples in app purchase and other options?
Apple and the developers both made the iOS ecosystem what it is. So many iOS vs. Android reviews talk about the quality and timeliness of apps on the App Store as a major plus point for Apple. So, to be fair, Apple should also offer a pot of 30% of iPhone hardware revenue back to developers in return to the 30% of app revenue that developers have to share with Apple.
Apple is probably 100% going to appeal this.
Or they could announce the fee is now 10 or 12% for all developers (even after the first 1 million), which would render using alternate payments moot.
Or they could add tons and tons of new appstore rules in a way to not make that court ruling totally impossible, but still make it miserable for developers to implement, and retaliate in clever ways towards developers, as Apple know how to do it.
Also, from what I understand, there's no obligation for Apple to reinstate Epic's developer account, so they may be screwed and barred from iOS for eternity (or a new ruling).
Or they could announce the fee is now 10 or 12% for all developers (even after the first 1 million), which would render using alternate payments moot.
Or they could add tons and tons of new appstore rules in a way to not make that court ruling totally impossible, but still make it miserable for developers to implement, and retaliate in clever ways towards developers, as Apple know how to do it.
Also, from what I understand, there's no obligation for Apple to reinstate Epic's developer account, so they may be screwed and barred from iOS for eternity (or a new ruling).
Why does it have to be limited to digital sales? I want to buy some Wonderbread but I don’t want Walmart to get a cut of the sale.
If Walmart refuses to stock Wonderbread they would have to prove it wasn’t because of this payment change.
Which makes me wonder how sales ranks will be calculated? Does Apple have the right to purge apps that are “low performing” to help clear the store of content they perceive customers are not looking for? How often can they do that? Can they refuse an app because they suspect it won’t sell well?
Any app that promotes out of App Store purchases would be suspect for Apple sales volume.
Stock is crashing.
LOL. This moment, it's down 3% for the day, up 50% for the past 12 mos. Maybe I don't know what "crashing" means.
No. Epic should be able to do their own IAP. Apple would not need to do anything for them then and $99 fee would be very reasonable.
Not sure what there is to love. Sure, Fortnite maybe. But to terminate usage of Unreal Engine in the development of any game on the app store would be detrimental to many developers. I would hope Apple would reconsider that part, at least - for the sake of other developers.
You seem to be forgetting what triggered this lawsuit in the first place. Epic wanted to put their own payment method in fortnite. Apple said no, then Epic did it anyway. Epic got exactly what they wanted in the end.
We'll see how it goes. The stock may be under pressure for a while. Apple's story in the recent years was the growth in "services" which IAPs are a big part of. Hardware sales growth may not be enough to warrant current stock PE multiple.
No, its not very reasonable. Imagine is Coke told Wal-Mart "Yeah, we'll pay you $99 a year to sell our products but 100% of the sales go back to us. We just need your billions of customers and shelf space. Here is $99"
By Epic’s logic I could go into Wal-mart and buy some chocolate but pay the manufacturer directly and walk away with the product from Walmart.