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

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

#451

Post by mrep »

ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #300
shady-lady wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Had they made Android a walled garden like Apple, they wouldn't have been fined....Android is free, which unequivocally is a net positive for consumers It's unequivocally a positive if they play by the rules. They fell foul of Europe(who was protecting it's consumers). Google's not a charity and made the choices they made to get to where they are. Making Android free ensured they quickly became relevant in the emer…

On Android, I can install whatever I want, replace whatever I want. Hell, I can even install another App store if I wanted. On iOS, you can't do any of that. How is that not infinitely more anti-competitive? Somehow licensing software to other manufacturers makes you more anti-competitive then owning the entire pipeline?

I agree that IOS is way more anti-competitive. The problem is that anti-trust laws only take effect when some lawmaker defines something as a monopoly. In the android 5 billion dollar fine case, the EU used "percent of of smartphones running an OS" or more specifically, any OS that has >50% market share because the fine goes back to 2011 when android crossed the 50% threshold in the EU.

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

#452

Post by scarface74 »

hatchnyc wrote: post #414
scarface74 wrote: post #331

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn’t happen. If you click on an address from Google’s website, it opens in Google Maps if it is installed. If you click on a link from any Google app it opens Google maps by default.

Mmm, well yes, happening now. From the "Google" app made a search, a long touch on the Directions link shows a maps.google.com URL, Google Maps is installed, even reinstalled GM thinking the registration was corrupted somehow. It opens in Apple Maps. Uninstalled Apple Maps and it prompt me to reinstall. Perhaps since this is the Google app the URL they show for long touch is not actually what is getting executed when…

I just clicked on a direction from Google on Safari and it took me to Google Maps.

I did the same from Chrome. It took me to Google Maps

I went to a third party web site within Chrome, click on "get directions", it took me to Google Maps.

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

#453

Post by mrep »

stale2002 wrote: post #278
Aunche wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android is free, which unequivocally is a net positive for consumers and smartphone manufacturers. Google places some terms of use to their software and suddenly they're being "anti-competitive." Had they made Android a walled garden like Apple, they wouldn't have been fined.

Apple put restrictions on phones that it manufactured, google put restrictions on phones other people manufactured. I don't support either, but there is a clear reason why what google did got caught by anti trust laws.

Google got caught because their OS crossed the >50% market share in 2011 (That is literally the definition for monopoly that the EU used in their fine because the fine specifically charges back to 2011).

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

#454

Post by mrep »

cpeterso wrote: post #355
harryf wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Audible.com is a clear example of this. All purchases have to be made on their website. The app is just a player with the ability to browse and put content on your wish list but nothing more. It's a horrible user experience but a 30% price hike on content might make me think twice about impulse purchases

Oh! So these Apple fees are why Audible doesn't allow you to purchase audio books in the app.

Yep, and the same reason you cannot buy kindle books in the kindle app.

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

#455

Post by hrktb »

rconti wrote: post #122

Can someone help explain how this works today? I'm a bit unclear. The Netflix app is, as far as I know, free. I use it, and I have a subscription paid for via their website. (well, okay, I've never really watched content on a phone or tablet, but I know it works). Is the problem that new users who sign up via the iOS app have to make an in-app payment for their subscription, thus triggering the 30% cut? I assume this…

I think there are restrictions to forbid apps from arbitrarily forcing users to have an account.

Apple can request in some cases that there is a way to use your application without any account, or that you provide a signup form inside the app. There are exceptions, but I assume you have to justify them to Apple aside from "I don't want to pay your fees".

Basically, the rules are a bit more complex I think and they cover a number of potential loopholes.

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

#456

Post by amelius »

padmanabhan01 wrote: post #441
amelius wrote: post #432

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that's why the "platform economy" might need government intervention. A "single place" or "platform", is too detrimental to the economy to ignore as a construct. One reason is that the company behind the platform will now start regulating the market, which is arguably worse than the government regulating it. For some more insights and viewpoints, see: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/image/docum.…

Isn't government the quintessential "single place" or "platform" problem?

I guess you can answer that by considering this question: what do you prefer, a government regulating your market, or a company?

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

#457

Post by pas »

tk75x wrote: post #446
orf wrote: post #2

> Epic Games will be launching its hit game Fortnite for Android on its own website, and fans will only be able to download the game there, not on Google Play ... while the setting that blocks third-party installations can be disabled on Android phones. If they are talking about disabling it system wide vs disabling it for a single application, is this not pretty irresponsible? Lots of kids play Fortnite, saying "hey…

IIRC, the setting only needs to be disabled temporarily to allow the installation of a third party app. If you re-enable the blocking setting after you install the game, I don't see any reason things can't work and be secure.

How will they handle updates?

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

#458

Post by aardshark »

happywage wrote: post #380

I have a startup which builds a web-based enterprise product. A year ago we launched a companion app that provides a fraction of the functionality of the desktop application, just enough to help our customers extract the key information they need when they're on the road. All of a sudden a few days Apple decides we have to implement in-app payments. I explained them that this is an enterprise product for an arcane in…

Can you elaborate on this, because this is what I understand (from the point of view of someone who knows nothing about Apple's review process):

You can't provide your app at no cost on the App Store. You can't provide your app for a cost on the App Store, if you don't include in-app payments.

Or is it the case that you want to allow your customers to make nominal purchases through the app, and Apple say these must be processed through in-app payments?

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

#459

Post by CaptSpify »

scarface74 wrote: post #443
CaptSpify wrote: post #436

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I agree that Android is worse, but that doesn't make Apple's store "Good".

The apps on the store can be good or bad, I don’t care if Apple makes that judgement. I want iOS to limit what any app can do - which it does based on a much better security model.

Ah, I see what you mean, and yes, Apple has better permissions control.

As it turns out, giving the user ultimate control is really the best way to handle these types of things.

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

#460

Post by s73v3r_ »

michaelmrose wrote: post #305
s73v3r_ wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By an Android phone. There, you've now exercised consumer choice.

I do have an android phone. I don't think there is any value in having only some workplaces be safe, only some restaurants clean, or only some computers actually owned by their owners.

That's not your call to make, however.
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