Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The writing is on the wall: Apple sees a large, painful lawsuit coming in under 5 years which will wipe out 30% commissions and/or allow the side-loading of apps. They are preemptively whoring out their App Store, Maps, and other marketable spaces to advertisers to recoup those future losses.

One way or another, they will get their money.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: NetMage
Once the practice becomes unpopular enough then legislature will be introduced to curb the cost of doing business on these platforms. But the reality is this 30% cut of gross sales across mobile app platforms has been here since the days of Java, BREW and Symbian OS. Much of this whining and complaining is happening because Apple is so large that they are an easy target.

I certainly don’t like the idea of a 30% share just for using a storefront. Especially with the nuances and challenges involved in marketing and selling that app. And Apple making money on the hardware and locking out developers from making money fairly on the software is a bit of a conflict to say the least.

Before it was the carriers that owned the mobile app storefronts. (With exception to Nokia with Symbian, and Samsung with their platform who’s name I forget).

This was before Android. But I believe android charges similar amounts for transactions in the storefront.
 
Trillion dollar companies carve out exceptions for each other.

Regardless of whether or not this is true, the actual answer is that Apple doesn't require companies like Nordstrom, Amazon, Target, etc. to pay them 30% when customers are ordering physical goods. Our app sells tens of millions of dollars worth of physical services every year and we don't have to pay a commission to Apple.

It's often over-simplistic to reach for the nearest conspiratorial opinion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
Apple does not take commissions from apps selling physical goods nor do they disallow using credit card directly on those.
So if I were to buy a digital gift card (a non-physical good) with my Starbucks app to send to someone as a gift (e.g. birthday), Apple gets up to a 30% cut of that sale? I don't believe so.
 
Last edited:
So if I were to buy a digital gift card with my Starbucks app to send to someone as a gift (e.g. birthday), Apple gets up to a 30% cut of that sale? I don't believe so.

Correct, you would not pay a commission on that sale. You can also buy digitally delivered gift cards on the Amazon app.
 
Can someone explain why I can use my credit card on apps like Amazon but not on other apps?
In-app purchases is only for digital content. For example, an ebook has to go through in app purchase. Where as the hard copy of the same book cannot go through in-app purchase. It has to go through the sellers own payment system. That’s why you can buy physical books on Amazon app, but not ebooks on kindle app.
 
So if I were to buy a digital gift card (a non-physical good) with my Starbucks app to send to someone as a gift (e.g. birthday), Apple gets up to a 30% cut of that sale? I don't believe so.
No. Depends if the gift card is for a digital service or a physical service. If the gift card is to buy an ebook that’s consumed within the app, then yes, Apple gets cut. So does Google from the Google Play Store by the way.
If it’s for a physical product like e-ticket for a movie show at a theater, then apple does not get a cut. If it’s to download a digital copy of the movie, then yes, they do get a cut.
 
Except Apple forbids developers from selling software to their iOS users outside of Apple's store.


Why should Apple profit from other people's efforts?
Apple profits on my efforts and I do not build anything technology related. Apple up charges me 30% or more. Just not fair as I use their products for my profits. I want a discount! 🤣
 
Can someone explain why I can use my credit card on apps like Amazon but not on other apps?
As far as I know you need to use Apple’s payment services for virtual purchases.

On Amazon you can but physical goods, not audiobooks or Amazon Video movies.
 
Ridiculous comment.

Telegram are not a hardware company and Apple's charging is excessive and disproportionate. Which is why the EU and other regulators will change how Apple operate for the benefit of the consumers & developers alike. It's just going to take some time.

There's something wrong with people championing Apple's greed and profiteering.
Because of that profiteering, they are able to offer fantastic devices and services (compared to others). Why do you think they are charging excessive. Do you know the markup in the last coffee you had? Did you complain they were making excessive profits?
 
No. Depends if the gift card is for a digital service or a physical service. If the gift card is to buy an ebook that’s consumed within the app, then yes, Apple gets cut.
If I buy a (digital/sent by email) Netflix gift card off Amazon (which I've done before) to use to pay for my Netflix subscription (a digital service), I don't believe Apple gets a cut of that Amazon sale. So Apple does make exceptions for large companies that's harder to push around.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: NetMage
So if I were to buy a digital gift card with my Starbucks app to send to someone as a gift (e.g. birthday), Apple gets up to a 30% cut of that sale? I don't believe so.
No, because the cut only applies to gift cards intended to be exchanged for digital goods.

According to Apple’s developer guidelines:
Digital gift cards, certificates, vouchers, and coupons which can be redeemed for digital goods or services can only be sold in your app using in-app purchase.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
I can't understand the people on this forum. Apple overcharges corporate money, and enterprises will eventually overcharge consumers, that is, everyone. Why are people still shouting for Apple?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: NetMage
hold on - how much is Telegram taking from these payments? If 0%, then why is he upset? If it isn't 0% I'd love to know his cut
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
If I buy a (digital/sent by email) Netflix gift card off Amazon (which I've done before) to use to pay for my Netflix subscription (a digital service), Apple does not get a cut of that Amazon sale.

Digital gift cards on physical goods shopping apps like Amazon/Target/Walmart etc. probably counts as physical gift cards since they are (e)mailed to customers instead of directly redeemed in-app, especially considering that for some reason these stores always insist on emailing the card to you instead of just showing you the code inside their apps.

Physical gift cards that are sold within an app and then mailed to customers may use payment methods other than in-app purchase.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
If I buy a (digital/sent by email) Netflix gift card off Amazon (which I've done before) to use to pay for my Netflix subscription (a digital service), I don't believe Apple gets a cut of that Amazon sale. So Apple does make exceptions for large companies that's harder to push around.
Is Facebook a large company as per your definition?
 
Wow someone doesn't get it. Go to Walmart or Target right now and try to sell something without their consent, you will get escorted out of the store and if you repeat it you will get arrested for trespassing.
Except the developers don't want to sell in Apple's store so your analogy doesn't apply. And we don't need analogies because there are plenty of examples of developers selling their wares to customers directly, including on Apple's own products like the Mac. Why should the iPhone be any different?
Right now people have options between Apple and Android. Pick which ever works best for you but you need to play by the rules both have.
Anticompetitive behavior is not forgiven by customers having other options. And least not by US Antitrust laws.
 
  • Angry
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage and NVD
and it's an arbitrary argument for people to say "it's fine if Sony/Nintendo/Microsoft to charge 30% because they lose money on consoles (which BTW, switch has been profitable since day one)"

I agree - the devices should allow side loading. So should iPhones. We should Be able to do whatever we want with the products we buy.
 
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: NetMage and strongy
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.