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True, but then she is losing many sales if it is a good app and popular the loss is likely to far exceed the fees to apple as it's the popular apps that are suffering the worst losses when it comes to piracy.



We know they don't, don't we?

So it's a lose/lose for the developer.
I agree on both points. My reply was more retorical than serious; although my points were valid.
 
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not sure with usa style, but here we not like that.A book,magazine not sold will return back and the profit per magazine not 50 percent or 40 percent just pure 5 to 10 percent from sales price. A bookstore no need to think all those aspect since just item to sold or return. In the end is all about volume sales or not.
A book that is not sold or returned (new edition is added) does not just disappear. The publisher doesn't "eat" the cost. The cost of the book is split between the author and the publisher. This is worldwide publishing and has been in place for decades.
 
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There's a serious problem in Apple's whole pricing model regarding development tools and apps distribution and hosting in the App Store. They set it up so that development tools (like Xcode) are virtually free and free apps can be hosted for free (barring the yearly membership fee). That pricing model is flawed because Apple end up not making a profit for their development tools and for hosting free-apps in the App Store unless they overcharge developers of paid apps (and free apps with IAP). This is very unfair as some developers wish to use their own IAP system and obviously no developer wants to be overcharged.

Also, the whole revenue sharing business model is unfair. Apple claims developers owe them part of their success and they measure that success by revenue. That is highly inaccurate, as more revenue doesn't necessarily mean better value from the App Store or Apple's services and products. There are many reasons for an app to make more (or less) revenue. Meanwhile, free apps are making revenue in different ways and Apple sometimes make no profit out of them. So Apple's solution was to overcharge developers and force them to use Apple's own services to cover up for their flawed business model.

The solution is very simple: Apple should start charging developers for development tools and for hosting free-apps in the App Store. If you get a product (Xcode) you pay for it. If you get a service (host your free app in the App Store) you pay for it. The more attention your app gets in the store - the more you pay, regardless of revenue or whether the app is free or not. Stop digging into the developers' wallets and use more accurate data to decide how much developers should pay you.

The idea that free apps can be hosted in the App Store for free dates back to when IAP didn't even exist and advertising in apps was in its infancy. Developers either made money by selling apps or they didn't make much money at all. Things have changed over the years and instead of Apple (and Google) adapting their business models to changes in technology, they just quietly kept charging developer 30%, probably because they know it yields a much bigger profit for them. They managed to pull it off for many years but now people are starting to notice and I hope both Apple and Google stop practicing these shady techniques and start charging developers fairly.

BTW, considering the expensive 30% commission, you'd think Apple would have provided a great service to their developers but that's not always the case. Developers are being forced to wait for months to be enrolled to the Apple Developer Program and Apple don't seem to care: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/126314

You are confused if you think Apple needs to charge these fees to maintain the App Store. Sure they help but what Apple is offering developers is a marketplace of their users and they don't want Apps like Spotify to grab their userbase and then take off. Netflix had no problem with the fees while they were building up and then they just switched away from in-app purchase and all is fine.

None of Apple's practices are new or unique to Apple. Try putting a software title on retail shelf. If so your best hope is to get 30% of the sale. Steam, XBox, Nintendo, Sega all charge fees, per unit printed, to developers and only after they approve the game.

Printing a magazine and hope to get it in the stands? Again 30% which doesn't include paying your authors. Want to get subscribers to your new magazine? Get prepared to fork some money to get listed and then initial subscription with a yearly charge as well (sounds familiar?)

Authored a book and want Barnes and Noble shelfspace? Go through a publisher/distributor, get it printed and sent to the stores. The books that don't sell are returned then you and the publisher can eat the cost. If you got an advanced you can bet you will not see a dime for the first year unless you have Cred like Stephen King. There are tons of stories how these authors are even charged for "binding and delivery" services on ebooks!
 
Which means if they can't make money via Apple don't develop for Apple. It's a simple choice.No one cares what it costs to develop a product when they make a purcahsing decion, they care about what it costs them and the value they get.
i mostly advice client just follow apple human guideline or not. Mostly will be heart broken when see apple rejection . I prefer to develop system on android and web based instead. Just focus what problem to solve first.
 
I know that the "bricks and mortar" store analogy is often decried on here as being irrelevant

Just need to compare it to console market which is older than the App Store.

Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and (formally) Sega charges 30% per unit printed (that is before it hits the stores). They get a percent of the disc printed by the Disc Manufacturers. They charge a hosting fee for the digital titles (amount varies). They charge for the "digital" codes to their stores. At the time of publishing they charge for the evaluation. Got a bug and need to release an update, that is another charge ($8,000 to $10,000). Want a reduction in cost? Ok how about working an exclusivity deal and this is usually just for the Big Companies.

Want something closer to the app market. Look into Verzion's old app store or some of the Palm Pilot app stores. Those devs weren't making more that 19% unless it was someone at the level of EA.
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No, I’m just refuting the absurd notion that the 30% cut is the cost of operating an App Store. If that were the case then Visa and MasterCard would’ve gone under a long time ago since they support a worldwide payment network (a little more complex than the App Store) with 1-3% transaction fee.
1 to 3% if you are Apple. But if you are a small developer your rates are higher plus fees if you don't make enough transactions, then fees if you make too much. Then VISA/Mastercard/Amex like holding on to your money for a few weeks so they can earn so
i mostly advice client just follow apple human guideline or not. Mostly will be heart broken when see apple rejection . I prefer to develop system on android and web based instead. Just focus what problem to solve first.
While you are at it. Don't develop for Sony or Nintendo or Xbox and Steam (seeing the pattern?)
 
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Again, people only see 30%, it is that in the 1st year then 15% in all others.
That’s only for subscriptions and big companies get around it because Apple created the reader category for them. So Netflix gets to be a reader app and thus doesn’t have to offer IAP.
 
Just need to compare it to console market which is older than the App Store.

Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and (formally) Sega charges 30% per unit printed (that is before it hits the stores). They get a percent of the disc printed by the Disc Manufacturers. They charge a hosting fee for the digital titles (amount varies). They charge for the "digital" codes to their stores. At the time of publishing they charge for the evaluation. Got a bug and need to release an update, that is another charge ($8,000 to $10,000). Want a reduction in cost? Ok how about working an exclusivity deal and this is usually just for the Big Companies.

Want something closer to the app market. Look into Verzion's old app store or some of the Palm Pilot app stores. Those devs weren't making more that 19% unless it was someone at the level of EA.
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1 to 3% if you are Apple. But if you are a small developer your rates are higher plus fees if you don't make enough transactions, then fees if you make too much. Then VISA/Mastercard/Amex like holding on to your money for a few weeks so they can earn so

While you are at it. Don't develop for Sony or Nintendo or Xbox and Steam (seeing the pattern?)
not develop games and don't hijack non related topic.
 
That’s only for subscriptions and big companies get around it because Apple created the reader category for them. So Netflix gets to be a reader app and thus doesn’t have to offer IAP.

Yes, appreciate it is for subscriptions. But really, I see little support in this thread for developers on this. Up to the governments to determine next move, until that happens, nothing is changing and really I can't see anything but a bad outcome for developers if Apple is forced to make changes.
 
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Apple should lower the fees and allow developers to use alternative payment services.

There's a reason why PSPs (payment service providers) exist: It is often too costly or too much hassle for developers to implement and maintain interfaces to various payment gateways.

What Apple should do:

  1. Become a real payment processor
  2. Allow developers to choose between Apple's simple, hassle-free in-app implementation or third party methods that must be implemented outside of the app (linking allowed)
  3. Lower the costs to 10% for app downloads and in-app features
  4. Lower the costs to 5% for content subscriptions (music, video...)
  5. What nobody has talked about: Allow Apple payments for goods and services delivered outside of the app (shopping, Uber rides, bike rentals): 3-5% (currently not possible)
Point 5 will compensate for what they lose from 3 + 4 because the volume is huge and if the cut is more or less in line with other acquiring banks, it will not be worth the hassle to implement other providers, not to mention the sub-par user experience compared to the native one.
 
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Apple should lower the fees and allow developers to use alternative payment services.

There's a reason why PSPs (payment service providers) exist: It is often too costly or too much hassle for developers to implement and maintain interfaces to various payment gateways.

What Apple should do:

  1. Become a real payment processor
  2. Allow developers to choose between Apple's simple, hassle-free in-app implementation or third party methods that must be implemented outside of the app (linking allowed)
  3. Lower the costs to 10% for app downloads and in-app features
  4. Lower the costs to 5% for content subscriptions (music, video...)
  5. What nobody has talked about: Allow Apple payments for goods and services delivered outside of the app (shopping, Uber rides, bike rentals): 3-5% (currently not possible)
Point 5 will compensate for what they lose from 3 + 4 because the volume is huge and if the cut is more or less in line with other acquiring banks, it will not be worth the hassle to implement other providers, not to mention the sub-par user experience compared to the native one.

5
i have memtion it as non digital item which either google nor apple can charge 30 percent tax.
 
Here's a question:
How do you limit piracy if Apple provides a way to bypass the App Store? I remember from the early jailbreaking days pirated APS were readily available on jailbroken devices. One advantage I see to the app store is it makes pirating apps harder, and being able to bypass that might make it easier. If so, developers would be hurt, especially the smaller ones who might see sales drop precipitously.

Maybe a developer could flag their app as only being available through the AppStore. So that apple could do a check against the AppStore before installing and block the app from being installed through other ways.
By default all apps would just be flagged like that from the start.
Of course a jailbreak could be used to overcome this, but how low is the percentage of jailbreak users.

but then it also depends how easy it is to modify the ipa file to make it look like it’s a different app.

but see, you are bringing up a good point and I bet Apple might have thought of such consequences.
But a lot of devs are quite shortsighted and don’t consider all aspects, they just see 30% and get angry.

one more thing I could imagine is going down the road like unreal engine. Small developers with a small revenue could be exempt or pay reduced fees.
 
I am with Apple, its their platform, its their app store, its their hardware, its their software.

That being said, I still think 30% is too steep given that after that the developer still have to pay taxes. Maybe take it down to 15% or 20%. As for subscription apps I feel its fair if you buy subscription outside the app store and download the app free. I think a nice middle ground would be that Apple can offer apps for free but once they hit a specific number of users the developer should pay like $1/user per year assuming the developers generates money like Instagram via ads and not FOSS like VLC.

I mean, its one thing to be a free app with 100K users but if you got like 50M users that apple is reviewing your app for and paying for servers and maintenance...pay up.
 
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The malware argument is just a deflection that tries to make the App Store sound like a thing to protect customers, when its core existence really is just to make money. Apple already has a good system in place for stopping viruses on the Mac.

Wrong. I don't see as much malware as I do on the Google Play store.

A developer can submit their app to Apple to be notarized, and if the app is notarized, the app is easier to install, and is verified to have no malware. No app store necessary. They could totally use that same system on the iPhone.

No. If notarized apps that were automatically scanned is just as safe as the human review process, Apple would have just done that for their App Store review process (and require apps be sold exclusively on the App Store) saving the need to hire 300 full time workers to review each app.

Also notarized apps can easily be compromised after many users run an infected version. It's up to the developer to work with Apple to disable that version. iOS App Store apps don't have this specific issue.
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Worse, Apple's decision to host free apps and charge a high percentage cut on non-free apps actually encourages developers to ship apps that cost nothing, but bombard you with ads. You almost can't find games that aren't adware these days, and some of them very obnoxiously so. In an ideal world, those apps would be distributed outside the app store, the way that Developer ID apps are distributed on macOS. That way, Apple wouldn't have to fund their distribution and pawn off the costs on everybody else, and they could lower their margins to a more reasonable percentage.
You're assuming those apps distributed outside the App Store would be just as successful without the hundreds of millions of people visiting the App Store every week. That's a wrong assumption. It's just not as easy or as secure as having it installed through the App Store. Those are a couple of reasons why some of these "free" games are successful.
 
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Sure, and how about alongside that extra 30% they get they are held accountable for broken apps, viruses, spam, unfinished features, abandoning apps, apps that break with future OS updates, privacy violations, and everything else software developers get away with by claiming their software is “as is”.

How about before we ask does Apple deserve 30% we ask if the developers deserve 70%.
Developers were getting 0% before Apple came along. They created the App Store which created thousands of small developers that didn’t previously exist. In light of that, 70% for the first year doesn’t sound that bad to me.
 
Developers were getting 0% before Apple came along. They created the App Store which created thousands of small developers that didn’t previously exist. In light of that, 70% for the first year doesn’t sound that bad to me.
developer not just develop for apple so most fall in hype and fall.
 
There's a dungeon of software language, hardware in the market. As me, we build as customers requested and not purely develop for Apple because of low margin and high cost.

Most software markets profitable on enterprise resource planning (ERP) rather than mobile apps. Mobile apps more on marketing purposes and very tiny small systems. Some said making gaming in mobile apps was easy, which actually not.

** My Apps in Play Store just pure marketing not for profit and no advert annoyance.
 
There's a dungeon of software language, hardware in the market. As me, we build as customers requested and not purely develop for Apple because of low margin and high cost.

Most software markets profitable on enterprise resource planning (ERP) rather than mobile apps. Mobile apps more on marketing purposes and very tiny small systems. Some said making gaming in mobile apps was easy, which actually not.

** My Apps in Play Store just pure marketing not for profit and no advert annoyance.

sorry, still understand what any of this means. What dungeon?
 
Okay. What does “most fall in hype and fall” mean?

Hype - Programming is fragile. As the WWDC event, Apple creates a new update to the language SWIFT, and the old structure might be depreciated. For new developers will focus on the latest hype, innovation, and forgetting sometimes it was not supported for an old Operating System like 11/12.

Hype - For business, the hype just thinking 99 cents will be bought by millions of a user in Apple Store but unknown there was some algorithm to pull their apps to the front page. Like a normal business, you still need to do marketing outside the apple store and link it to your product page.

Fall - Development needed a lot of resources and ideas to keep changing among the bosses(consumer), and low-rank staff(Consumer). So don't forget as the apple environment, we have guidelines to follow (https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/). This guideline may be accepted by the client and maybe not and most of them try to ask the vendor to submit their idea. So after a few months,year changing all the requirements and all people getting lethargic and at last, they will stop the project.
 
Hype - Programming is fragile. As the WWDC event, Apple creates a new update to the language SWIFT, and the old structure might be depreciated. For new developers will focus on the latest hype, innovation, and forgetting sometimes it was not supported for an old Operating System like 11/12.

Are you thinking of Swift UI? What was deprecated? Are you aware that you can code in Swift UI for iOS 11 and 12 without any problems?


Hype - For business, the hype just thinking 99 cents will be bought by millions of a user in Apple Store but unknown there was some algorithm to pull their apps to the front page. Like a normal business, you still need to do marketing outside the apple store and link it to your product page.

Sorry, again don’t understand thE first sentence. Yes, you need to do marketing, but what’s your point?

Fall - Development needed a lot of resources and ideas to keep changing among the bosses(consumer), and low-rank staff(Consumer). So don't forget as the apple environment, we have guidelines to follow (https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/). This guideline may be accepted by the client and maybe not and most of them try to ask the vendor to submit their idea. So after a few months,year changing all the requirements and all people getting lethargic and at last, they will stop the project.
I take it you are some sort of contract developer?
 

Are you thinking of Swift UI? What was deprecated? Are you aware that you can code in Swift UI for iOS 11 and 12 without any problems?

Refer to here - https://developer.apple.com/documentation/swiftui

Availability

  • iOS 13.0+
  • macOS 10.15+
  • Mac Catalyst 13.0+
  • tvOS 13.0+
  • watchOS 6.0+



Sorry, again don’t understand thE first sentence. Yes, you need to do marketing, but what’s your point?
The point some saying we paid 30% commission in-app purchase for putting in the apple store and apple do rest of marketing. To upload you required to paid apple developer 99 dollars.


I take it you are some sort of contract developer?

It can consider as one.
 
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I’m an app developer... I’ve been so for more than a decade. I had an app on the App Store in the first month of its launch in July 2008.

Here is why the 30% cut is a problem
...
I hope they are forced to change something.

Here is an idea how you can change; sell your product somewhere else or release it on your own store.
 
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