Google Lowers Play Store Subscription Fee From 30% to 15%

[alex2792]

Wait, so it wasn’t only Apple that had the outrageous 30% fee?? Did the courts know this?? How come Apple didn’t point this out?? /s

Ever heard of ‘duopoly’?

 

[toobravetosave]

Sounds like there are other options out there and that Apple is not actually a monopoly

the argument is that apple has a monopoly on ios and in america ios is 50% of all smartphones so it's not an unreasonable position.

 

[mi7chy]

Sounds like there are other options out there and that Apple is not actually a monopoly

You can buy Android devices from other than Google but you can only buy iOS devices from Apple. That's definition of monopoly for Apple.

 

[WiseAJ]

You can buy Android devices from other than Google but you can only buy iOS devices from Apple. That's definition of monopoly for Apple.

I can buy iOS devices from Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc.

I can buy a smart Phone or Tablet from Google, Samsung, Apple, etc.

Not seeing the monopoly...

 

[mi7chy]

I can buy iOS devices from Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc.

I can buy a smart Phone or Tablet from Google, Samsung, Apple, etc.

Not seeing the monopoly...

Who makes Android devices? Dozens and dozens. Who makes iPhones? Apple. Do you get it now or do we need to explain further?

 

[WiseAJ]

the argument is that apple has a monopoly on ios and in america ios is 50% of all smartphones so it's not an unreasonable position.

And McDonald's has the "monopoly" on McDonald's french fries.

It's not unreasonable for only Apple to have control of their own OS. It's not like their aren't other phone OS out there.

You have to really split hairs to define a "monopoly" market for anything Apple makes and/or sells.

 

[WiseAJ]

Who makes Android devices? Dozens and dozens. Who makes iPhones? Apple. Do you get it now or do we need to explain further?

and only Ford makes Ford vehicles. Does Ford have a monopoly?

 

[Realityck]

Google recognizes that many businesses are unable to benefit from the fee cut because of the continuous rule that it has, so Google is dropping all subscription fees to 15 percent "from day one," effectively removing prior year-long subscription requirement. The fee cut was also previously limited to the first $1 million in revenue.

Apple also offers reduced 15 percent subscription fees from day one, but that's limited to developers who are part of its App Store Small Business Program, which is available to those who earn up to but don’t exceed to $1 million in a calendar year. For other developers that are not part of that program, Apple takes a 30 percent cut until a subscriber has been subscribed to a service for 12 months.

All apps in the Google Play Store will pay 15 percent instead of 30 percent for all subscriptions, but Google also plans to lower the fee even further for some ebooks and on-demand streaming music service apps. Fees could be as low as 10 percent for apps that fall into these categories.

Sounds like Apple will have a lot more of a problem continuing their current subscription terms with this example. I wonder what other stores will change their subscription fee also?

 

[toobravetosave]

And McDonald's has the "monopoly" on McDonald's french fries.

It's not unreasonable for only Apple to have control of their own OS. It's not like their aren't other phone OS out there.

You have to really split hairs to define a "monopoly" market for anything Apple makes and/or sells.

Well as ios becomes increasingly dominant it does in fact become unreasonable for only apple to have complete control over their own OS. They have significant market power and can do anti competitive things like advertising their own products in the operating system, set default apps, control the app store, etc...These are actually quite significant and they have the power to single-handedly destroy a company that makes apps for ((edit) their platform))

Remember when windows got slammed for bundling internet explorer in microsoft?

 

[mi7chy]

Remember when windows got slammed for bundling internet explorer in microsoft?

Apple is a worse violator in this regard since they force 3rd party browsers on iOS/iPadOS to use Apple WebKit engine instead of their own Google Blink, Firefox Gecko, etc. so violations of privacy, security, usability and personal choice.

 

[WiseAJ]

Well as ios becomes increasingly dominant it does in fact become unreasonable for only apple to have complete control over their own OS. They have significant market power and can do anti competitive things like advertising their own products in the operating system, set default apps, control the app store, etc...These are actually quite significant and they have the power to single-handedly destroy a company that makes apps for ((edit) their platform))

Remember when windows got slammed for bundling internet explorer in microsoft?

Comparing Apples to well Windows with that one.

Very different circumstances with Microsoft Antitrust case.

Apple will never have a complete monopoly as Android exists and in great numbers as anything can and does run Android these days.

 

[Kabeyun]

Ever heard of ‘duopoly’?

Of course!

 

[I7guy]

Have sideloaded Fortnite on Android because I refuse to let big companies feuding over profit to affect how I use my devices. Now to push for legislation for Apple to open up sideloading because burden shouldn't be put on end users to disrupt their game play and force them to buy other devices to continue to play.

In essence to bypass fees and commissions that one may have to pay?

 

[falainber]

Now watch as prices still remain exactly the same for all of the subscriptions, no benefit at all to customers.

Customers win anyways because more of their money goes to content developers instead of the gatekeeper parasites. The customers will get better content.

 

[WiseAJ]

Customers win anyways because more of their money goes to content developers instead of the gatekeeper parasites. The customers will get better content.

Idk about that one, Netflix keeps raising their prices and yet they keep churning out more and more trash.

 

[Havoc035]

Apple will follow up and point to Google for competitive pressure.

 

[johnnyrb]

Spotify, Epic and other companies won't be happy until Google and Apple doesn't charge them anything.

 

[WiseAJ]

Spotify, Epic and other companies won't be happy until Google and Apple doesn't charge them anything.

Even then they probably won't be happy. I bet they want Apple to pay them to have their apps on iOS.

 

[ksnell]

Now watch as prices still remain exactly the same for all of the subscriptions, no benefit at all to customers.

The benefit to customers is that developers will be more incentivized to make a great product.

 

[Kabeyun]

apple was the only that doesn't allow an alternate store.

Maybe disallowing sideloading is a good thing, maybe it’s not. Either way, it’s not what I was talking about.

 

[I7guy]

The benefit to customers is that developers will be more incentivized to make a great product.

I highly doubt it. What should be incentivizing developers to make a great product regardless of the commission is a better product is one way to increase revenue. And while I don't know if apple will adjust their fees and commissions, google just lowered theirs to 15%. (after all the hubris and teeth gnashing). So a dev whose sticking point is 15%, now has their options open to them.

 

[I7guy]

Customers win anyways because more of their money goes to content developers instead of the gatekeeper parasites. The customers will get better content.

I highly doubt it. Customers won't win a plugged nickel, nor get better content, nor get a price reduction. I don't personally care what Apple charges, but people who have no skin the game sure get riled up over it.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

Wait, so it wasn’t only Apple that had the outrageous 30% fee?? Did the courts know this?? How come Apple didn’t point this out?? /s

Yeah, everyone knows this. The reason why Apple is being chased in the courts first, is because if you chase the little guys first, then their defence is simply, but wait, the big guys are doing it, why can't I? But if you chase the biggest fish first, and win that, then the whole house of cards collapses, and everyone has to change.

Google, being a pretty damn big fish too (but not as big as Apple), are following Apple's proactive lead of trying to head this off ahead of the courts, and offer a little concession by reducing the massive rip off tax somewhat.

 

[Shirasaki]

As an aside, I am also hopeful that this doesn't spawn more paid apps that I own to switch to subscription model for their future updates. I don't expect free updates with new features, however when an update is quietly pushed that takes away features I paid for already, I usually drop the application.

As being proven in the past with Adobe etc, companies much more prefer screwing customers than screwing themselves. I fear subscription for every single app is going to happen in due time, leaving us who prefers perpetual license out dry, with almost nothing to use.

 

[BGPL]

Good for Google. Apple's greed will be tough to overcome. I know Epic has enough money, and I shudder to think how much money kids (and adults) have squandered on skins, but this is no doubt a result of that lawsuit and others.