Apple doesn't take a cut of any online purchases made through Safari. They also don't take a cut of any in-app purchases for physical goods. They only take a cut of purchases for digital good purchases and used entirely within an iOS app.
The proper comparison to Microsoft would be buying software or games for Windows through the Microsoft store. Which, by the way, Microsoft also takes their 30% cut too.
Apple's store does the same stuff and takes a 30% cut. They aren't directly comparable, but they are charging the 30% for similar services (streaming/downloading, platform support, browsing/discovery, and they add payment and distribution on top of that...)
The difference here is that the 30% cut is on everything digital sold through apple's payment system - including in app purchases. Amazon has removed in-app purchases from it's kindle and comixology apps because they'd owe a 30% cut to apple. Make whatever justifications for the app store purchases you want, it's the digital content from other stores (video, music, books, etc) that will bring about the anti-trust issues. Add to that the fact that apple is the only one restricting users to their app marketplace and you have the recipe for an antitrust lawsuit. Microsoft got hit with antitrust because they included internet explorer by default, how apple has only allowed one source for applications for ten years and never been challenged on it I will never know.
Considering Microsoft cut their percentage take to 5% on the Microsoft Store [1], it shows that Apple is really charging 30% just because developers keep letting them get away with it.
Imagine if Steam took 30% of all sales on their platform! Or if Nintendo or Sony or Microsoft charged developers 30% for online app sales! (Spoiler: they all do).
There are lots of things worth criticizing about Apple's model, but I'll never understand the fixation on the 30% rule. They provide a distribution platform that is every bit as robust and has a much larger reach than the video game consoles, and if they want to charge the same prices that the consoles do I don't see why that's the hill to die on when there are so many other things that are more obviously rotten.
Now this makes me wonder, if Microsoft products on the App Store also gets special treatment with lower cuts than others.
Aside from this issues, I wish Apple maintain the 30% cut on Games, ( Since Games even has its whole own section in App Store anyway ) and lowered the cuts to 20% for everything else. I think that would be a fairer approach to every body.
30% Cuts for all other Apps is just insanely expensive.
Sure, but I'm responding to a complaint about apps not being available on the App Store, and neither is Xbox Cloud Streaming. If we were talking about iOS, then alternative app stores and browsers would still be iOS.
Steam is a different product in a different market. Steam's 30% is set by the market deciding that Steam's value is worth the 30%. Apple's 30% comes from whatever Apple feels like charging because there is no alternatives, hence the complaints. If you believe Apple's 30% comes from value and that no one can beat it, then they should be able to prove it in some free market competition like Steam has.
The difference being of course, on Apple's stranglehold on its customers. 30% either way, app developers know that Apple users are always willing to pay more and Apple knows this, too. That's why many apps only target iOS.
Besides the income from services within Apple's apps: they could take 30% of an app's purchase price (which is still not justified tbh, the app store can't be _that_ expensive to run), but how do they justify trying to take a percentage of a subscription (like Spotify, Netflix etc) when they have nothing to do with it?
That would be like Apple being able to take a portion of banking fees from me because I have my bank's app installed on my phone (and the bank takes fees), which Apple doesn't do of course because as big as they are, you do not fuck with banks.
It isn't a lie. Steam takes a cut too yes, but Apple takes a cut after that 30% you mention. You don't pay 30% to Steam from in-app purchases. No one except Apple force you to use its payment system and take an additional 30% cut after the first 30% cut of the app price. Unless you are a small indie developer you end up paying way more to Apple than any other platform.
Would you support them doing the same thing on MacOS? Or transactions through Safari?
I don’t see how iOS requires a 30% cut but Macs and transactions through Safari don’t.
The justification is the same, they make and maintain all the tech behind those the same as they do iOS. So really iOS shouldn’t have a cut or MacOS and Safari should. To be consistent.
It is absolutely ridiculous that Apple and Google demand 30% cut of all transactions happening in the apps that run on their OS. Imagine if Windows had done that or if Netscape/Firefox/Opera had demanded 30% cut of transactions happening on their browsers.
Back in the days when App Stores hadn't launched Android and iOS did not exist, apps for platforms like Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, Blackberry etc worked like how Windows software still works today - you bought them directly from the developer's website. Stores like Handdango and Pocketgear were multi platform app stores who were taking 30% cut. I remember even back then there were voices being raised against those fees. But back then, those were not the only ways one could distribute their apps. None of the smartphone platforms back then mandated developers to distribute their apps only through their store. Even when Android launched, it was open and these stores carried Android apps as well. Apple launched the app store and changed everything in the name of security and user experience. It was just a shameless money grab by a giant corporation.
Microsoft got all the flack just for bundling a browser for free with OS while Google and Apple have been arm twisting developers into paying 30% of their revenue for years.
Apple does not take 30% of things purchased through apps that are not meant for consumption IN those apps.
For instance, if you buy movies tickets through an app, Apple does not get a cut. If you buy a computer through Newegg's app, Apple does not get a cut. If you buy a lawn mower through Walmart's app, Apple does not get a cut. If you pay your electric bill through your bank's app, Apple does not get a cut.
Yes except Steam:
* Takes their cut for games purchases on their store
* Doesn't have any rules about in game payments/utxns, if you want to use steam wallet for that they'll take 30%, if you want to process the payment yourself or direct users to a website they don't care at all
The last point is Apple's monopoly, along with no sideloading; because if I don't want to use Steam then I can use whatever else I want to.
But I agree, 30% even just on games purchases is too high, and we should reduce this profiteering across the board, Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. Good thing we can multi task, right?
Apple doesn't take a cut of any online purchases made through Safari. They also don't take a cut of any in-app purchases for physical goods. They only take a cut of purchases for digital good purchases and used entirely within an iOS app.
The proper comparison to Microsoft would be buying software or games for Windows through the Microsoft store. Which, by the way, Microsoft also takes their 30% cut too.
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