This is close...maybe even the most, dumb thing I've ever read. /woosh
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Spotify Files Complaint Against Apple With European Regulators Over 'Unfair' App Store Practices
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This is close...maybe even the most, dumb thing I've ever read. /woosh
I think you may have misunderstood that. Uber collects $$ via the app (charging for rides) but apple doesn't get a kickback on that. Spotify is trying to argue that in-app purchases should be treated the same way.
Spotify will win. Look how the EU commission heavily fined google.
- "First, apps should be able to compete fairly on the merits, and not based on who owns the App Store. We should all be subject to the same fair set of rules and restrictions—including Apple"
Everyone has to pay 30%, not only Spotify. It's literally the same rule for everybody. But sure, Apple can pay itself 30% of the Apple Music revenue
If you want your service to be on iOS you have to play by App Store rules. It's just that simple. If they don't like it they should become an Android exclusive or just stop offering the subscription via IAP - I personally wouldn't care.
The whole 'data mining' capabilities of Spotify are great. I can't tell you how many new artists I've fallen in love with (many of them little-known) thanks to the feature that allows users to find artists similar to ones I already know.
I'm an Apple Music subscriber. If I install the Spotify app, will I be able to use it as a player for my Apple Music? Enough said.
Uh... you have that completely backwards. The best thing we can do is boycott Apple's products. We didn't accept this crap from Microsoft in the 90s - we're not accepting it from Apple today.
Apple Music is great unless you actually have an offline itunes library with thousands and thousands of songs. Then it becomes a cluster**** of confusion. Spotify for the win.
No, the best thing Apple fans can do is start opening their eyes and stop blindly putting some corporate giant's interests above their own.
The raw figures may be true, but there's an argument that without a vibrant app store, Apple wouldn't have sold as many iOS devices as they have and there's no argument that iOS devices are certainly Apple's biggest earner.
Of course, this can never be proven, but the lack of Apps was certainly used a stick to beat Windows Phone over the head and as at least a contributory reason to its failure.
I think it's more than a little unfair to dismiss developers out of hand as they most certainly have had a hand in the rapid growth of Apple over the last 10 years or so
Apple doesn't have that many 1st party apps, so I don't think that would be an issue. There's no reason the security standards that currently apply to the App Store wouldn't continue if Apple's own apps were no longer available there and had to be downloaded somewhere else.
BREAK THEM UP!!!!!! So the two guys on the MacPro Team could actually get something done. :/
I can see it only being a matter of time that Apple are forced, kicking and screaming to allow people to download apps from other stores.
Be it next year, in 5 years, in 20 years. I'm sure it will happen.
Be it next year, in 5 years, in 20 years. I'm sure it will happen.
I applaud Ek and Spotify for this. They are the far superior music streaming service when it comes to music discovery. Apple really needs to get off their high horse.
Apple spends an enormous amount making the App Store even possible: datacenters, APIs/Dev Tools, iOS, A chip processors, billing and customer infrastructure, fraud/malware detection, user ratings, customer acquisition and discovery, support for 15+ different languages, world wide distribution
It is stupidity to argue that Apple should only earn enough to cover credit card processing fees
The rate drops to 15% after one year. I assume most customers would be at that level over time for a subscription like Spotify
Last, Spotify DOES offer Apple Watch and iMessage and CarPlay apps. Spotify is enjoying the benefits of Apple expanding its platforms. For God’s sake, Apple has given them entry into the car
This lawsuit is bull ****
It is stupidity to argue that Apple should only earn enough to cover credit card processing fees
The rate drops to 15% after one year. I assume most customers would be at that level over time for a subscription like Spotify
Last, Spotify DOES offer Apple Watch and iMessage and CarPlay apps. Spotify is enjoying the benefits of Apple expanding its platforms. For God’s sake, Apple has given them entry into the car
This lawsuit is bull ****
Apple is behaving nothing like Microsoft in the 90s.
Why do people not understand, what the 30% is for? Apps like Amazon that are free and allow you to purchase items do not require the 30%, because you are not required to purchase something. With Spotify you have to pay the monthly subscription in order for the app to work. Apple has to process that payment every month. It's like AMEX charging the store a fee when you use your card. Apple just chose a higher fee. If you don't like it, have people sign up on your website. MANY, MANY companies do this. Work Smart, Not Hard.
1. Spotify can do their own marketing and drive business to their site and sign customers themselves. If they did this they would owe Apple nothing and Apple would host the app for free like billions of other free apps. The problem is Spotify wants their cake and to eat it too. They want to benefit from Apple using their money to drive usage while paying nothing. Apple hosts payments, handles disputes and manages the subscription for a standard subscription rate.
Spotify has filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, accusing the iPhone maker of enforcing App Store rules that "purposely limit choice and stifle innovation at the expense of the user experience" and "acting as both a player and referee to deliberately disadvantage other app developers."
In a blog post, Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek took particular issue with Apple charging a 30 percent "tax" on App Store purchases. This results in Spotify charging $12.99 per month for its Premium plan via the App Store just to collect nearly the $9.99 per month it charges outside of the App Store.
Ek believes this gives Apple an "unfair advantage," since Spotify is unable to fairly compete with Apple Music's standard $9.99 per month price within the App Store. This is a big deal given there are over a billion active iOS devices.
As an alternative, if Spotify chooses not to collect payments via the App Store, Ek notes that Apple "applies a series of technical and experience-limiting restrictions" on the company. Over time, this has also included "locking Spotify and other competitors out of Apple services such as Siri, HomePod, and Apple Watch."
Ek stresses that this is "not a Spotify-versus-Apple issue" and simply about seeking "the same fair rules for companies young and old, large and small."
Apps like Uber and Deliveroo, for example, are allowed to collect payments directly from customers since they offer "goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app," according to Apple's App Store guidelines. Unlike Spotify, this allows these apps to bypass Apple's 30 percent commission.
Ek summarized what he is asking for into three points:"First, apps should be able to compete fairly on the merits, and not based on who owns the App Store. We should all be subject to the same fair set of rules and restrictions--including Apple Music."
"Second, consumers should have a real choice of payment systems, and not be 'locked in' or forced to use systems with discriminatory tariffs such as Apple's."
"Finally, app stores should not be allowed to control the communications between services and users, including placing unfair restrictions on marketing and promotions that benefit consumers."Ek notes that Spotify tried "unsuccessfully" to resolve the issues directly with Apple, leading to its carefully considered complaint with the European Commission. Spotify is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Spotify has launched a "Time To Play Fair" website and shared a companion video to inform customers about its complaint.
Article Link: Spotify Files Complaint Against Apple With European Regulators Over 'Unfair' App Store Practices
2. Once again if Spotify has the market power to draw customers their customers would pay through the them. Is they want the simplicity of Apple’s Payment management system they will pay for it. It’s like forcing Amazon to sell, process the payment, and deliver your product via their online store, but expect them to do it for free.
3. Apple customers buy Apple device because Apple protects them from rogue companies doing whatever. Since, they allow direct competitors current and future to have Apps they have the right to prevent competitors highjacking their platform to promote competing products. When was the last time you saw a Walmart Commercial playing on a TV on display in Target. You won’t because it would stupid for a business to do so.
They could, but Apple doesn’t allow them to put a link to their website for sign ups, which is total BS.
I hope this results in a change to the App Store policy, but I doubt it will.
As I’ve always said, if an in-app purchase can only be used in the app, and the data is stored on Apples servers, they totally deserve some sort of cut. But if data is coming from somewhere else, they don’t deserve a cut and should allow customers to pay these companies directly.
Stifle choice? Any user has the choice of using the service of their choice. It's about money lost for Apple hosting your app on their platform.
Apple isn’t as saintly as you think they are. There are certain practices from Apple in the App Store that disallows competition which borderlines violates law depending on the lawyer arguing the case.
The audacity of them to claim that it's "time to play fair" is astounding. Even "government level," considering that they don't pay artists and are fighting the songwriter revenue thing.
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BECAUSE APPLE PAYS DEVELOPERS, JUST LIKE THEY PAY MUSICIANS. JFC.
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BECAUSE APPLE PAYS DEVELOPERS, JUST LIKE THEY PAY MUSICIANS. JFC.