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Are you saying it be ok if I owned a store for your or someone else to expect to use my store to sell your product or services? Should a retailer be forced to sell a product that it doesn't want to? Can Babies'R Us be forced to sell adult porn magazines?

If we had to use your store to buy everything we ever wanted, I would say yes you should have to sell those things. =)
 
15% is still absurd. I wouldn't pay a 15% Apple tax any more than I would pay Panasonic 15% for use of the Netflix app in my plasma or Pioneer 15% for the Spotify in my AVR. This whole discussion is beyond stupid. I've never signed up for a service through an app on an iOS device, and you better believe I never will after learning how it works.
Yea and you're still free to go and sign up via the website, just like every single Spotify customer.
 
Yea and you're still free to go and sign up via the website, just like every single Spotify customer.

Hence my post yesterday in the other stupid thread:

Internally, Spotify calls it "The Apple Tax on Stupid People."

Internally, Apple calls it "Our Customer Contempt Policy."


Wouldn't it be nice for Apple to treat customers respectfully and not try to rip them off?
 
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It's irrelevant because you're talking about the customer and I'm talking about the developer. The ability for customers to seek out the Spotify website on their own doesn't change the fact that Apple is purposefully hindering a developer's ability to promote their own services from within their own applications.

But Apple isn't. A developer can promote their own services in their own applications via in-app purchasing. If they choose to do so, Apple charges them 30% to cover their costs to provide that functionality and service. If they feel they can provide that functionality and service at a lower percentage by doing it themselves, they can choose to forgo in-app purchasing: as many major developers have.
 
So Apple should give companies access to their customers, house the infrastructure for apps as well as support for free?

I mean it is kind of a ******** policy. Apple should allow apps to redirect outside the App Store for sign up if they are gonna charge a premium for signing up within the app.
 
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I am still trying to understand why people stream music...

I used to think that but there is only so much music I can buy/download. Why listen to X amount of songs when you can listen to all the songs.
 
Actually that isn't true. Users think that. If users were willing to pay more money then artists would make more money.
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You signed up to the rules. You don't get to agree to the rules then complain the rules are what they are. Like the infrastructure and the platform don't cost money to keep up and running. This isn't the government where people have a duty to complain. Why complain about the contract you agreed to. Every time Spotify has an update they start complaining about Apple.

You want 100% fair competition you build your own platform and compete with Apple.

What platform? Repeating the same silly argument doesn't make it any more valid. If Spotify works in a browser then I'm not sure Apple is really providing anything of value, platform-wise, since browser-based content delivery isn't tolled, shouldn't be, and frankly would be difficult if not impossible to toll anyway. You completely ignored all of my arguments and talked over them with the same stale talking point that I obviously don't agree with. Frankly I'm not sure why you even bothered to reply since your response addressed exactly none of my points.

As far as your argument that "you signed up to the rules" (no, I didn't, Spotify did). Well, it seems to me that there is definitely a point of contract law that does indeed apply here, and I frankly don't know the answer. Does Apple have in its developer contract that they can ding app submissions that remove in-app-purchase for apps that used to have IAP? Then I suppose you have a point. Otherwise I might construe (although I'm not a lawyer) rejecting an app submission simply for removing the IAP option as tortious interference with their business. In other words, I wouldn't assume, unless the developer specifically agreed to that condition, that Apple has a right to reject app submissions purely for this business model reason. I might imagine this will be litigated.

And why won't you address the anti-trust / monopolistic practices / rent-seeking-behavior argument? Perhaps because it has merit?
 
I can appreciate that very much. I hear you.

Do you really think all that will crumble down if we are given the ability to side load apps? There is an argument for security, but I feel the primary reason is money. Even if we could side load , I doubt most users would, it could be locked down via corporate policies, etc

I don't think all would crumble down necessarily, but I do think there is a lot to consider. Security is one thing, but I also think Apple does some of this to protect their brand and image. Just consider how many Apple users don't have a clue. Ever seen a person with "no service" in the top left make a comment about a "****** phone?" You try to explain the difference between a computer running slow and slow internet but they just don't understand?

My point is that I think Apple has other motivations for keeping the current system. There are tons of users out there that think iPhones suck every time an app crashes or every time a photo fails to upload to Instagram. Apple "protecting" these users is often annoying to more knowledgeable users, but I understand it.

In terms of popularity I'm not sure how other options for downloading apps would fare. But eventually a grandpa would download an app from the web that crashes all the time and think his iPhone sucks because of it.

To me if a person really wants that kind of freedom with their device then Android is probably the better platform for them. That said, I've personally always found Androids customization and options to be more superficial than anything. Its no coincidence that Android fanboys would tout the varying capabilities of different Android devices but then almost unanimously choose a Samsung that was essentially the closest thing Android offered to an iPhone.
 
Apple runs parts of its business in a completely anticompetitive manner. Freezing competitors out is a case in point, so is an elaborate list of exotic approval rules. Those aspects need to be investigated and if supported by evidence, then prosecuted appropriately. Apple isn't above the law.

Yes, it does, and I love it! Because guys like you hate it and can't stand it. always dismissive of Apple's importance and impact. Always with the BS "Android did it first", "Eddy Cue should get fired", well... Spotify doesn't even care if google has the same rules about this.
 
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So Apple should give companies access to their customers, house the infrastructure for apps as well as support for free?
You are confusing apps and music services/subscriptions. Apple has nothing to do with the latter yet collects money pretending that they do.
 
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I wrote this in another thread yesterday, but I think it illustrates why what Apple is doing with Spotify is patently unfair and anti-competitive:

Imagine this:
  • A landlord owns a strip mall and leases one store to a store owner that wants to sell widgets, where the store owner has to give the landlord 30% of all sales. The widget factory charges $1.
  • Scenario 1: The store owner marks the widgets up to $2.50, where $0.75 (30%) goes to the landlord and $0.75 is net profit to the store owner.
    • This is fine.
  • Scenario 2: The landlord opens up his own store right next door to the store owner and sells the same widgets for $1.75. The landlord still makes $0.75 from each widget sold.
    • This is now not fine. It is mathematically impossible for the store owner to compete with the landlord. If the landlord charges less than $1.43 for the widgets, the store owner cannot possibly make money under the circumstances.
    • It doesn't matter to the landlord if the store owner goes out of business. If either the store owner or the landlord make a widget sale, it's all the same to the landlord.
    • By acting as both a store and landlord, he has an unfair advantage. Typically, tenants of malls write language into their leases that prohibit the landlord from doing this. They can do this because there are thousands of commercial areas in the U.S. There are only 2 "digital" commercial areas of any value, and they don't negotiate. Instead, they offer unreasonable contracts of adhesion.

Very interesting analogy, I think I might have changed my mind on this. I had previously thought Apples terms were fair, although I always had reservations about them taking a slice of recurring subscriptions. Now however it seems clear that it can't be fair and equitable for them to do this.

The question remains though, is it legal? You say real world tenants have terms written into contracts to prevent a landlord from doing this. That suggests that a contract could exist without such language that would be legal, even if it would make the tenants business unviable?
 
It is somewhat strange to watch this. Tech companies arguing over how to make money, while the sources of their income, the artists and songwriters, earn only just fractions of what they should...
 
Here's an actual opinion from me, instead of just messing.

The App store is part of the reason I buy an iPhone.

Therefore, Apple has to provide the App Store in order to get my business.

This undermines the argument that Spotify is piggybacking off Apple's server etc etc costs.

Spotify should not have to pay those costs, because its presence increases the value of the app store.

That's a good argument. However, since about 600 people have commented already I am sure no-one will see these words of wisdom. Just messing.
 
When Apple originally came up with the 30% cut were subscription apps even in the picture? It's one thing to take 30% of something that has a one time cost of $0.99 or $1.99 but should that apply to $10/mo subscriptions? Apple's cost in supporting the Spotify app isn't anymore than what it costs them to support free apps.
 
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Really? What if Samsung said to Comcast "We want 30% of your subscription money to show your TV shows on our TV sets". Would you have the same opinion?

Well, I dont know about anyone else but I can answer that. Would I be ok with it???? No way. Want to know why??? Because its a horrible irrelevant analogy. Now, if Comcast started the "Comcast Shopping Channel" and Samsung requested to sell their tv's on it(its not their right to do so) Comcast agreed but only for a fee........yes, I would be fine with that.
Want to know why??? Because Samsung doesnt HAVE to sell tv's on the "Comcast Shopping Channel" They could put out magazine ads, billboards, radio ads, commercials, all informing people that they can purchase Samsung products elsewhere.
Likewise, Apple doesnt FORBID Spotify from selling their subscription for cheaper. They are free to do so, people can sign up for service on the web. Spotify has numerous options of informing people how to avoid paying the increased fee for the convenience of getting it through the app store. They can even pull their app and sell exclusively through Android. To say they are at the mercy of tyrannical Apple is laughable. It is not a companies nor an individual's right to have Apple market their product on the Apple App Store.This is how business works in a capitalist society. Request to sell your product in Apple's store.... Apple agrees under some such conditions. You accept that....or you dont. You have no RIGHT to compel Apple or any company to sell your product AND dictate terms of of that sale.

Here endeth the lesson.
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It's only "unfair" because you fail to account for the fact that the store owner didn't actually build the strip mall, provide parking, water, utilities, and signposts.
You see????? Chi-Town gets it!!!!!
 
Actually they (and other music services) have complained about Apple's dubious methods since before Apple Music was even launched. Not to mention that Spotify hasn't lost subscribers, but grown faster than ever since then.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/6/8558647/apple-ftc-spotify-app-store-antitrust
http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/4/8540935/apple-labels-spotify-streaming

Dubious says the competitor that before Apple Music was the M O N O P O L Y.

Poor poor Spitify.
 
No they should let devs sell direct to users like every other os, don't force use of the store
Again, and not sure why some are'nt getting this, Spotify can and does sell directly to the consumer. You DO NOT have to purchase Spotify through the app store. You can buy you rsubscription elsewhere AND STILL have Spotify on your Iphone and pay zero extra going to Apple.
So your wish is granted. People wanting Spotify arent forced to use the store.
 
Yes, it does, and I love it! Because guys like you hate it and can't stand it. always dismissive of Apple's importance and impact. Always with the BS "Android did it first", "Eddy Cue should get fired", well... Spotify doesn't even care if google has the same rules about this.
Let me address your assertion. I have applauded and been the fan person for many Apple initiatives, BUT, I do call Apple out when I see there is an issue at bay that I believe needs attention. My criticisms are all geared towards making Apple a better business on all fronts.
For the record, I've never said "Android did it first" or "Eddy Cue should get fired". I do not own anything Android, only one device I own is Windows, the rest I own are Macs/iOS. I'm an Apple fan, BUT, as I said, I do call Apple out when I see there is an issue at bay.
I'm not stressed at all about this situation. If it's proven to be anti competitive, then Apple should accept the consequences and restructure its business to operate better, right by it's own values, shareholders and customers.
 
Apps may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than IAP. [...]

Auto-renewing subscriptions should only be offered using in-app purchase and may only be used for periodicals (e.g. newspapers, magazines), business apps (e.g. enterprise, productivity, professional creative, cloud storage), media apps (e.g. video, audio, voice, photo sharing), and other approved services (e.g. dating, dieting, weather).
[doublepost=1467356305][/doublepost]Apps may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than IAP. [...]

Auto-renewing subscriptions should only be offered using in-app purchase and may only be used for periodicals (e.g. newspapers, magazines), business apps (e.g. enterprise, productivity, professional creative, cloud storage), media apps (e.g. video, audio, voice, photo sharing), and other approved services (e.g. dating, dieting, weather).
 
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