“App Store Monopoly” Discussion

Agree to disagree.

The % that should be charged is debateable but the point as a whole definitely holds up. This is why I personally would prefer sideloading. It provides Apple with an out that there are real actual alternatives to the App Store while effectively maintaining complete control.

As I’ve said previously, the vast majority of apps would be better off in the App Store paying whatever %. Epics failed attempt to circumvent Google Play indicates that they would be too.

I would say that one big difference is that in the case of subscriptions Apple’s cut is in perpetuity. It’s not just a one off finder’s fee.

We just have different concepts of what it means to be anti-consumer.

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You’re right, but also doesn’t it fall after year 1 from 30% down to 15%?

I’m not really sure what Epic are wanting here, are they wanting the ability to take payments themselves, but still use the App Store? Will they then outlay the cost of managing the support queries that comes with the payments?

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Maybe in the mid 2000’s but I grew up when the vast majority of software and games came from places like PC World, Game etc. Even in the early 2000’s digital games sales were small on consoles etc, PC gamers at least got steam in 2003 but it was a mess then and more expensive than buying from a store.
I bought games from steam because I didnt have to deal with discs primarily and actually paid more for the privedge of digital even though said developers got a much better cut from steam than they did from store sales.
It is relevant to say that before developers lost 60-70% to distrobuters but now lose 30% when using apple. It may be phyisical to virtual but that difference doesnt matter when it comes it getting paid, developers would rather lose 30% than 60% and it makes it easier and safer for people to buy leading potentially to more sales.
App stores massively reduced the costs for developers and increased sales all for 30% instead of 60%. Yeah if they sell directly they will collect more but they also dont get the marketing and presense of the app store and simplicity for customers.
I mean back in the late 90’s the whole distrobuter arguement epic had for 70% was because they were taking on the hassle of getting boxes into stores instead of the developer having to direct sale to stores and epic could justify its cut as a value for developers then, how can epic say 70% was valid then decry 30% now because its not them getting the cut while saying apple are taking too much.

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At a logical guess, perhaps for every one of these he finds, there are a thousand others that didn’t make it past the review team.

With that said, given how many do appear to slip through the net, something isn’t working, and they need to address that. Assuming the Apps are objectively as he describes anyway. Not every app someone thinks is a scam, is actually a scam, at times, that can be up for interpretation.

Sometimes game devs can get clever in bypassing the checks

Like this one that only has a casino when you are coming from a Turkish IP.

It reminds me of another article I saw quite a while back where they malware (or not approved software , I can’t remember which) didn’t run on phones where the internal IP was in the 172.16.0.0/12 range as they worked out that is the range apple runs internally when reviewing apps.

Edit ; can’t find the article but it did come up that Apple own the 17.0.0.0/8 public range, so I may be mis-remembering and they stopped the malware from running when the public IP was in that range.

It’s a game of whack-a-mole.

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There was a story a couple of years back about Uber disabling some of their nastier tracking systems if the app was used in/around Cupertino.

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LOL, so let me get this straight, because the app store has fake apps we should have a second app store because that will somehow help?!?!
Those fake apps billing are a problem but apple refunds it and takes the hit but when you look at the other big mobile OS where anything goes it gets a lot worse:

And that’s a reoccurring problem, this is before anyone uses amazon’s app store which may be much the same.
If you look at the Cydia store you get an idea of that types of apps that apple blocks that could be allowed and the power they could potentially reap with private api use. They have apps that can access other apps data and do all sorts as well as replacing SMS messaging which would be RIPE for SMS billing scams and mobile operators will be far less likely to refund on mass.
I jailbroke an old iphone years ago when ios was a lot more strict so I have seen first hand what 3rd party api access can do which is why apple scans and blocks it as much as possible. Yeah those fake virus scanner apps should never have been on the store but at least those fake apps couldnt actually do anything because apple prevents them by detecting private api usage as much as possible.

I am surprised people dont know about these serious negatives if they follow the Android approach and keep on thinking they are saving apple users by adding crappy stores to the OS.

Some more examples:

If Google cant stop this serious crap how will 3rd parties ever stop it especially since they wont have access to iOS source code to have a look at how things work.

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It’s pretty standard for digital purchases. You own nothing you buy digitally, you just buy the rights to use them for a – potentially – unlimited time

It’s not just Apple who does it but I guess the article is better if it can be used to Apple-bash

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And this is unique to Apple?

Once again a good post and conversation to have but your anti-Apple feelings just bleed through.

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Lol. I think it would be easier if you just quoted your previous comments!

I literally just had a count and I have 117 118 purchased movies in my Apple TV library (and yes, I’m aware that they’re not permanent purchases).

I also have more than my fair share of Apple kit.

Im not anti Apple. I’m pro me. The fact that I spend so much of my money with them is why I’m so critical when they get things wrong.

I want my experience to be better. When Apple are actually competing they absolutely kill it. And when they’re sitting on their App Store monopoly and blocking competitors they’re just lining their own pockets to no one else’s benefit.

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But you are still talking about just Apple instead of this practice which is not Apple specific. Just come at it from a more neutral position?

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Sadly yes. The only exceptions that I’m aware of are Vimeo On Demand for video and GoG for games. With both you get to download purchases without DRM.

It’ll be an interesting test case for digital media though, but I can see why people cling onto physical media. I’ve recently started buying CDs again.

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Just because it’s industry standard it doesn’t make it legal, if they don’t make it clear then I think the person has a fair suit.

Do you happen to use an iPhone or an Android phone as your daily driver?

My biggest issue with this whole thing is I dont understand how an extra store will really cause a big improvement for end user other than a few fringe examples. It wont make apps cheaper or heighten security and it will cause confusion and risks for end users they would avoid without all this.

Standardising the app stores rules would be an improvement and some things can be changed but thats a far cry from new stores, if I wanted a million stores I could just buy android.

If android’s 3rd party stores were a bastion of cheap apps and increased security it would potentially be different but we can see how well it plays out there.

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iPhone.

Agreed.

Agreed. And being transparent about the rules so people actually understand what’s going on.

I’d like to see side loading enabled. I think it would give Apple the cover to run the App Store however they want, while letting those who really want to install apps at their own risk.

And it’ll also give Apple an incentive to make sure that the App Store really is the best option for devs and compete for their revenue share.

I’d love the option to side load a Kindle app which let me make purchases in app, or an actual X Cloud gaming app.

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So the controversial feature is finally here. And Apple has an ad for it. Bravo, I say.

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Now those are some very interesting revelations indeed. I always knew, internally there were plans to bring this, and FaceTime, to Android, and a lot of folks lower down really wanted it. I believe Steve Jobs did too. Of all Execs, Eddy Cue was not the one I expected to push for it happen.

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