It appears that Spotify is trying to have the case settled in the court of public opinion. I think the facts will show differently.
So you are also advocating that Amazon allows external links inside its application? That would be great. I could search for something, find what I like and then use the external link to find it cheaper at the vendors website. But what I don’t get is would Amazon have to deliver it for free too?Normally I am in the "so don't use the platform" camp -- for example, with Epic. It gets dicier here though, because Apple competes directly in the streaming music space. The fact Spotify has to pay 30% to do in-app subs, and Apple Music does not because it's a 1P app, means Apple is leveraging it's platform ownership into a significant competitive advantage over all 3P apps. Pay to play for something like a game is fine in my view, because it's not like Apple has a competing version of Fortnight that's benefiting. In the music space it's different, because Apple Music has a huge advantage over 3P competitors in terms of being able to charge less to earn the same revenue, while still offering in-app subs.
If I were Apple's legal counsel, I'd strongly advise them to at the very least allow linkouts to the web for subscriptions where the app in question offers a service that competes with one Apple offers.
So if you open a store and I have a product you sell in your store. You make a profit on every on of those sales. You even help me build my business and your heavy marketing and customer loyalty is why I’m there.I can agree that apple has the right to its cut on payments done through App Store, but apple not allowing Spotify to direct people to its website seems shady
Bad analogy.Again, should Best Buy allow free items to exist on their shelves, advertised by them, traffic created by them, etc. with a label on the item that says pay for activation at www.websitex.com?
Even if its not free, if the item has a price tag of $19.99 but a sticker on it says "or pay for me at www.websitex.com and pay only $14.99" no retailer on the planet would allow that.
Anyone who downvoted this statement permits their agenda to overlook an uncounterable argument. This is pure truth.Yes actually - a massive investment of money and time.
If every company wishing to offer a software product that competed with Apple’s software had to first build their own phone, we wouldn’t have very much software.
That is exactly what they want but Apple won’t let them. Apple has a stranglehold on the sale and distribution of iOS apps. You can’t buy them anywhere else. That is the whole problem. Imagine if you could only buy milk from one store and nowhere else and when you complain someone says drink orange juice instead. It’s ludicrous.If you don’t like it start your own suite of products and your own app store
my comment was not about spotify, but it also wasn't anti-apple. it was more about pro-consumerIf your comment is about Spotify, then please note you can subscribe over the web without needing to go through the App Store. But of course your comment is not about that at all, it is just more anti-Apple sentiment
They spend a ton on supporting it tooThe Spotify guy talks about it as if iOS is the only platform in the world!
At the end of the day iOS has cost billions to develop. Apple's ad fee's alone are in the billion dollars as year. They have taken numerous risks on that platform that others have laughed at (no headphone socket, walled garden etc..) so they have taken considerable risk. All of this needs to be compensated for.
You can't spend billions and billions of dollars building a customer base, an OS with api's etc.. so that anyone can sit on that platform and make money from your hard work. Hell no!
People need to remember that Windows is a paid for product. Android is paid for via its search business etc.. And even then there are multiple OEM's sharing the burden of creating these platforms. Apple is on its own. If something doesn't work (HomePods etc..) they eat the cost. Thats the risk of doing business.
Spotify seem to imply there is no risk to Apple doing business. As if the platform just exists out of thin air for everyone to make money off it. Just like any physical store, people spent money to build it, to advertise it, and get people into the store. No store on earth says go and buy this shirt next door where its cheaper.
At the end of the day, if 30% is too high then developers will move elsewhere and innovate on other platforms. Nothing is stopping them. There is no need to legislate where there is no monopoly. Let the market decide, just as we have always done.
So you are also advocating that Amazon allows external links inside its application? That would be great. I could search for something, find what I like and then use the external link to find it cheaper at the vendors website. But what I don’t get is would Amazon have to deliver it for free too?Normally I am in the "so don't use the platform" camp -- for example, with Epic. It gets dicier here though, because Apple competes directly in the streaming music space. The fact Spotify has to pay 30% to do in-app subs, and Apple Music does not because it's a 1P app, means Apple is leveraging it's platform ownership into a significant competitive advantage over all 3P apps. Pay to play for something like a game is fine in my view, because it's not like Apple has a competing version of Fortnight that's benefiting. In the music space it's different, because Apple Music has a huge advantage over 3P competitors in terms of being able to charge less to earn the same revenue, while still offering in-app subs.
If I were Apple's legal counsel, I'd strongly advise them to at the very least allow linkouts to the web for subscriptions where the app in question offers a service that competes with one Apple offers.
how many ways can you call BS? You can choose to sell your app in the App Store or offer it as a free download/install with external activation and payment bypassing any commission to Apple. You really don’t get this, or just not thinking about it?Anyone who downvoted this statement permits their agenda to overlook an uncounterable argument. This is pure truth.
Are you actually hearing yourself?
Even Microsoft couldn’t do that with their insane amount of money.
Did you even read the comment I replied to? Your argument is not a compatible rebuttal. It’s simply another argument which I did not address, nor will address.how many ways can you call BS? You can choose to sell your app in the App Store or offer it as a free download/install with external activation and payment bypassing any commission to Apple. You really don’t get this, or just not thinking about it?
In which case the wise business decision would be not to compete on iPhone and focus on other platforms instead. At which point either customers complain enough/abandon iPhone or the company decides “hey the 30/15% cut is worth it for easy access to all those customers”.These are rather problematic, not just Music, but also the other categories where Apple directly competes with others in the App Store, like Fitness and Video Streaming.
It's a difficult position to compete from if you have to give 30% revenue to your competitor to begin with.
Apple a monopoly? Nope. Android says hello.apple's closed ecosystem is very well becoming a monopoly. apple may have the legal high grounds, but their strict rules along with perhaps some weak competition, is overall screwing the consumers. even if i think apple has the legal high grounds against Epic, i still hope they lose.
Nope. or Store. When in doubt: go through the courts or congress. The 'new' American way. Funny how Tesla 'just did it..(Nike)' rather than sue and complain and complain and sue.Is there anything stopping Spotify launching their own mobile phone?
You mean not allowing you to advertise your website on MY website? Or your products in MY store? Unheard of!!!!This has been a problem for a very long time.
This is most assuredly not true. Percentage leases are quite common in retail. Let's take your suggestion.Think about the App Store like a really nice shopping mall. Businesses pay rent, but they don't pay a percentage of their sales. Seems like Apple needs to offer some additional business models for in app purchase instead of taking 30% cut.
THANK YOU!Again, should Best Buy allow free items to exist on their shelves, advertised by them, traffic created by them, etc. with a label on the item that says pay for activation at www.websitex.com?
Even if its not free, if the item has a price tag of $19.99 but a sticker on it says "or pay for me at www.websitex.com and pay only $14.99" no retailer on the planet would allow that.
You just don't understand the issue.He’s probably upset Apple undercut everyone else in the lossless streaming market.
Amid the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Apple, Spotify's chief legal officer and head of global affairs Horacio Gutierrez penned an anti-App Store op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, where he summarizes Spotify's issues Apple.
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Gutierrez says that Spotify is one of the few companies that insists Apple is a "ruthless bully that uses its dominance to hobble competitors."
Spotify has long been upset with Apple's App Store fees, as the 15 to 30 percent cut that Apple takes from subscriptions means that Spotify has to either raise its prices for those who sign up via the App Store or decline to offer subscriptions on iOS at all, which is what Spotify has opted for.
Apple's "antisteering" rules prevent Spotify from directing iPhone and iPad customers to the Spotify website to sign up, which Spotify argues gives Apple Music some major advantages.
Gutierrez points out the many regulatory issues that Apple is facing in Europe and the United States. The European Commission in April found that Apple breached EU competition law with Apple Music, and in April, the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee questioned Apple's App Store policies. Spotify, Tile, and others attended the latter hearing and said that if Apple's App Store rules aren't changed, Apple will take over the internet, "limiting innovation, squashing small businesses, and all but eliminating customer choice."
Spotify is asking the U.S. to speed up its regulatory initiatives against Apple with "urgent, narrowly tailored updates" to antitrust law to "end such egregious abuses."
Gutierrez says that Spotify isn't asking for special treatment, but wants "fair treatment," and he sums up his piece by stating that Apple's "ability to strangle its competitors is unprecedented." He says that those in a position "to do something" have now "seen past Apple's facade" and are now acting on the behalf of "innovators and consumers around the world."
Article Link: Spotify Legal Chief: 'Apple's Ability to Strangle its Competitors is Unprecedented'
That's knee jerk solution, but a real solution involves a little more thought.So don’t use platform.