Netflix isn’t the new kid on the block. They’re a well established service. They won’t miss out on a single customer by making people sign up through a browser. I don’t care how you slice it or try to frame it, it’s not reality.
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Netflix Tests Disabling In-App Subscriptions on iOS in Some Countries
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Apple could just use it to apply pressure as a business negotiation tactic - no one needs to be right or wrong - just need to be strong. Cable companies do it all the time, pitting subscribers wanting to view a big event against the television channels demanding more money. It's a game of who blinks first.
You say this as if signing up from the website is a complicated process? Have you tried it? There are millions of people who have successfully signed up via the website. And there are 10's of millions who sign-up for other services (Amazon, Dropbox, Microsoft, etc.) successfully all the time.
Is it "easier" to sign-up via the App, sure. But being "easier" doesn't make the other option hard.
You're right of course. It's not that hard, at least for most. The word generally used is "friction" and any friction will lose you a non-zero amount of customers however. That's why countless hours are spent making these processes as easy as possible.
In the case of Netflix, a long established and extremely popular (to the point of pretty much becoming a verb) service, the friction and associated loss of custom will almost certainly be outweighed by the 15/30% they'd otherwise give to Apple. I'm not as certain that the numbers would stack up the same for less established services.
Apple is not providing a service to Netflix.
lets put it another way, let’s say you own a computer store selling hard drives and a subscription tech support, you then create a free app to sell your hard drives. Should Apple get a cut of your hard drive sales from your app? No i didn’t think so. Now you add some more items to your app for sale, you add that tech support subscription and bang Apple are now taking 30% of your fee Apple, I’d bet you wouldn’t be happy.
Should? There's no law of nature being applied here. It's Apple's store and Apple's rules. You can choose to participate or not.
Then you don't have the subscription as an in-app purchase. It's easy.
Service. Access to Apple’s customers. Call it what you will. Same thing really.
The vast majority of people don't buy Apple products to use Netflix. People use Netflix on the device that works for them.
Netflix is ubiquitous on just about every device platform now, so they don't lose much of anything here given the alternative options.
Either way, there is no way I will subscribe from their website. And can't help but think there will be many others. Unless of course they discount 15% of my subscription fee. Otherwise, I wan't all my subscriptions in one place and I will refuse anything different.
A single customer? Just read through this thread and you’ll find some who won’t go through that problem.
So don’t be silly, of course this will mean they’ll miss out on customers. How many? Well, looking at how Netflix is reasoning, not enough to not make it worth the saving they make.
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It is not access to Apples customers, Netflix has its own customer base, why should Apple get a piece of that pie for no work or service?
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The day is coming when Apples "monopoly" on app sales on devices will come to an end and they will legally be forced to change their business model.
Apple is just trying to shore up its business model but not allowing Netflix to put a subscribe button in their app. Apple forces them to go through Apple to provide subscriptions which is a monopolistic style behaviour.
Because it’s Apple’s turf.
So it’s not about fairness but about who has the most leverage.
We will see. Right now, Apple is being shielded because of its smaller market share. I mean, if the developer is are not happy with the terms dictated by Apple, they are always free to walk away.
There’s still android, with its 80+% market share.
Why do you think Apple is somehow obligated to just cast the gates open and allow anyone and everyone to conduct business with no strings attached?
I understand both view points here. Apple have a right to charge whatever they want as the app is in their AppStore. Likewise if Netflix don’t like it then they can remove the in app purchase option and have users pay on the website.
What I don’t understand is why people are seeing this as a big inconvenience. All you have to do is go to Netflix on your web browser, add a payment card and that’s it. It just takes the money automatically every month. You don’t need to do anything else. You can’t buy anything in Netflix so it’s a one time inconvenience.
What I don’t understand is why people are seeing this as a big inconvenience. All you have to do is go to Netflix on your web browser, add a payment card and that’s it. It just takes the money automatically every month. You don’t need to do anything else. You can’t buy anything in Netflix so it’s a one time inconvenience.
What about the telecos and broadband providers? Without them Apple couldn't provide any services to their customers so should Apple pay them 30% every time someone makes a purchase or signs up to one of Apple's services?
I don't think Apple is obligated, nor do I think they need to do business without strings, but this is a perfect of Apples monopolistic style behaviour. Netflix has a subscriber base and Apple will not allow a subscription button in anyones app that doesn't come from Apple even though Apple would not be providing the subscription service.
I'm not oblivious to the fact that this puts Apple in a difficult position in the current status quo where Apple is the only App store in town and if Apple lets everyone do their own in app purchases, then Apple loses its cut.
But think of another scenario, there is a platform that Apple and other manufacturers have where people can develop apps and put their own subscribe buttons in there where Apple doesn't get a cut of every transaction - every desktop os out there.
So why does Apple feel that they need to own what I do with my own phone.
The time will come when Apple is regulated to allow people to install apps from anywhere. Its just a matter of time.
Is there a clause stating that Apple has to do so?
If there is, then Apple has to adhere to the terms of the contract.
If there isn’t, why are we making up straw man arguments here?
To attempt to show how ludicrous Apple's charges are.
What if there is a shop that has an app where they sell there wares, they have a button to sell a dvd of a tv episode and Apple doesn't take a cut, but as soon as they offer a button to sell a subscription apple wants 30%.
Doesn't make any sense.
They can do what I did. Manually sign up at Netflix’s home page.
Let’s take this argument to its logical conclusion.
Imagine if every app was free, with a link to redirect users to a homepage where they would then make additional purchases from.
What incentive is there to run a curated App Store if it doesn’t bring in a single cent for Apple?
Because it’s their platform.
That said, I am interested to see the logic as why the App Store should be regulated. Yes, one can argue that Apple is being greedy and a jerk here, but that’s not really a crime now, is it?
What incentive is there for google to have an app store if that is not the only place you can buy app from?
Why should I be able to buy apps for my desktop from anywhere but not on my phone?
Apple sells hardware, why should i not be able to buy apps to run on it from anywhere?
Apple creates an os, why should the phone one be more restrictive than the desktop one?
Why should Apple be regulated to be more open? See the above.
And look at the dismal state of the google play store compared to the iOS App Store.
Whoever said that there has to be only one rule governing all platforms?
Apple’s ecosystem, Apple’s rules.
Apple’s ecosystem, Apple’s rules.
You just made an argument why Apple arguably should be regulated (which is open for debate), not why Apple will be regulated (because I don’t think any case arguing for this has a leg to stand on, simply because of Apple’s minority market share).
To any developer not happy with Apple’s cut, I imagine Apple’s response will be along the lines of “You are welcome to remove your app from the App Store”.
In case I am not clear enough, I agree that
1) Yes, Apple rules the App Store with an iron fist
2) Yes, Apple is being tyrannical
3) Yes, the App Store is a monopoly within the context of the iOS ecosystem but not a monopoly in the smartphone market
4) Because of this, Apple has the right to do whatever they want, though that is not to say they are immune to backlash
5) As someone who is deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, I don’t mind any development which cements Apple’s grip on their platform, because that is what enables the specific user experience which I signed up for in the first place.
Apple wants their cut, Netflix doesn’t want to give it to Apple, let the two fight it out and may the platform with more leverage win.
The big difference between APPLE and CABLE/SAT companies, is you use CABEL/SAT SUBSCRIPTIONS to view Content that they provide via their NETWORK on their DEVICES. Where as on an Apple device, once you download the APP, Apple's part is done (unless the app has in-app purchasing, which is different then subscriptions, IMO). The App then uses YOUR CELL/WIFI providers to show content. Again, no APPLE involvement here. APPLES and ORANGES if you ask me.
The reasons Apple should be regulated is the reasons that Apple will be regulated.
Governments are always looking into companies that abuse their power, the netflix and the like are perfect examples of this abuse.
Apple cannot go on unnoticed being judge jury and executioner on a platform that will be increasingly be opened up in time.
Doesn't matter whether or not you like it, it will happen.
Apple double dips. Not only do they charge 30 pct for in app purchases, but they also make money off the relevant ads to the app.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.
I don’t know how much relevancy this has to your complaints, but it has some similarities.