Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

marketwatch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

221–230 of 482 posts

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#221

Post by dhimes »

tommymachine wrote: post #201
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be interesting if Netflix decided to straight up call Apple's bluff on their revenue restriction. Would Apple risk losing Netflix on the iPhone to enforce their rule about web signup links? Netflix is a ubiquitous expectation, and if it got delisted, Google and Samsung would have a field day talking about how you had to get an Android to get Netflix.

The answer is yes. They already fought with Spotify over this. Spotify had to clean up their game quite a bit to pass App Store review. Apple still has plenty of leverage. Being the highest grossing app on the platform is a double edged sword - and Netflix needs to be on iOS even more than Apple needs them to. But it's very unlikely that Apple would go so far as to delist Netflix. Apple will just reject the new updat…

Why can Netflix just use the mobile browser? Are they allowing downloads for offline viewing? If they are only online streaming I see no reason at all to even have an app. Just a mobile web page. Can somebody enlighten me?

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#222

Post by sakisv »

NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78
peatmoss wrote: post #20

I miss the idea that a platform, applications, and marketplace were not a vertical stack owned by one entity. As a consumer, I’d love to buy a phone, not a content distribution straight jacket.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Maybe I have my nostalgia lenses on, but I think I'd rather have the internet of kazaa era in terms of how things were working.

There were viruses? Yes. 37 IE toolbars? Of course! But consider for a moment what we have today instead: Instead of the simple and (comparatively) mostly harmless viruses we now have ransomware. Instead of kazaa installing spyware we have the OS itself trying to phone home. Instead of having a virus to delete random files, you now have one of the Big 4 delete stuff from your device without asking you.

You say we had crapware we had to avoid back then, I see that today we install the crapware ourselves and consider it a treat. Back then when you bought a piece of software you owned it. You didn't have micro transactions and DLCs and all these "innovations" that drive "engagement". You didn't have to have data connection to sync something with bluetooth.

Sure there were also some crappy things, but things are not all that better today. We just got used to it.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#223

Post by wvenable »

dunpeal wrote: post #216
wvenable wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine of Microsoft had a similar store to Apple in 1995 with the same restrictions on downloading and executing external code. The web itself could have been killed in the cradle on day one. The fact that you are here typing this reply right now is entirely because of the state of Windows during 98 and XP. It's a balance between security and freedom. You are arguing for the benefit of security while ignoring the ef…

> The web itself could have been killed in the cradle on day one. The web is such a killer app, that if MS blocked it, it would be a problem for MS, not the web, imho. Also IANAL, but given that MS launched a competing service - The Microsoft Network - this seems like a huge anti-trust issue. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Dial-up The combination of consumer demand for web access + anti-trust would probably crush…

We are talking hypothetical here -- all things being equal. Apple doesn't have anti-trust problems, they've closed off hackers, etc. Apple might not have a monopoly but closed-platform mobile OS is basicaly the whole market.

But that's all beside the point, the web was a killer app because it was available. Microsoft could have killed it with the same policies as iOS long before it was ever popular. And not by targeting it specifically for competitive reasons but just because it would have been against the very same rules we take for granted now. It wouldn't have even had to be conscious effort.

You can't even get another web browser on iOS! We literally can't even invent the "next web" on mobile. There's no point even trying.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#224

Post by djsumdog »

wvenable wrote: post #159
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Imagine of Microsoft had a similar store to Apple in 1995 with the same restrictions on downloading and executing external code. The web itself could have been killed in the cradle on day one. The fact that you are here typing this reply right now is entirely because of the state of Windows during 98 and XP. It's a balance between security and freedom. You are arguing for the benefit of security while ignoring the ef…

That would have pushed Microsoft even further into the anit-trust shit they were in.

Also you had more technical users back then as the majority of the base who really wouldn't have stood for that. Hell, most probably wouldn't have stood for mandatory OS activation via modem if Microsoft had required it.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#225

Post by IBM »

madrox wrote: post #214

I worked on an app that is in the same category as Netflix. A week before launch, Apple chose to reject us in spite of months of meetings and reviews with their app teams and assurances we were in-bounds since we were working with them for launch featuring. It came down to the fact we required an email address and password for IAP so you could bring your subscription to the web or other platforms. While everyone else…

They won't pull the Netflix app, they just won't let it update until they've made changes. Spotify tried directing users to the web and that's what happened with them.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#226

Post by dhimes »

chrischen wrote: post #193

The reason why Apple charges 30%—and is justifiable in doing so—is because the App store itself is a marketing platform. If a user discovers the Netflix app, signs up, they are essentially discovering Netflix through the App store. If a user discovers Netflix elsewhere, they can be pointed to download the app for extended utility. In the latter case, it doesn't violate Apple's 30% revenue cut policy. But if they want…

30% is the expected amount for an entire marketing budget. Back when the app store wasn't so overrun, it may have made some sense. (Remember, Jobs justified it when facing initial criticism by saying that most people were going to use mobile web sites anyway so the app stuff isn't really a big deal.)

Now, you have to give the cut and do marketing. It's usurious, and we need to stick to other channels.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#227

Post by ypeterholmes »

djsumdog wrote: post #207
andyfleming wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IF applied consistently. This is Netflix though. I'll be interested to see how this plays out.

The big players can dictate a lot of the rules of the game.

They also often get their own rules. I've designed apps that onboard exactly like the big boys, and been rejected.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#228

Post by s73v3r_ »

c487bd62 wrote: post #58

Does this means that any app distributed outside the store doesn't get access to closed features like Google Cloud Messaging? If so that's another reason to support sideloading since right now using MicroG seems like a pain in the ass (if you, like me, need a lot of problematic apps)

It entirely depends on whether the phone itself has Google Play on it or not. When you distribute through the Play Store, you know that's true. When you distribute through other means, you can't be sure of that.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#229

Post by Donzo »

madrox wrote: post #214

I worked on an app that is in the same category as Netflix. A week before launch, Apple chose to reject us in spite of months of meetings and reviews with their app teams and assurances we were in-bounds since we were working with them for launch featuring. It came down to the fact we required an email address and password for IAP so you could bring your subscription to the web or other platforms. While everyone else…

I actually just let my membership to their developer program lapse after 4 years.

In addition to having to pay money to develop on their platform, the return I get is questionable.

The straw was that they're forcing me to republish old programs, just to force them through their new compliance tunnels.

Frankly, I'm sick of their hoops and their walled-garden. I'm ok with forcing users to the browser now. Amazon does it for digital sales.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#230

Post by tommymachine »

dhimes wrote: post #221
tommymachine wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The answer is yes. They already fought with Spotify over this. Spotify had to clean up their game quite a bit to pass App Store review. Apple still has plenty of leverage. Being the highest grossing app on the platform is a double edged sword - and Netflix needs to be on iOS even more than Apple needs them to. But it's very unlikely that Apple would go so far as to delist Netflix. Apple will just reject the new updat…

Why can Netflix just use the mobile browser? Are they allowing downloads for offline viewing? If they are only online streaming I see no reason at all to even have an app. Just a mobile web page. Can somebody enlighten me?

User experience is better in apps
Post reply on HN