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Apple-Developer Relations

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Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#121

Post by asutekku »

015a wrote: post #71
AceJohnny2 wrote: post #63

It's a two-way street. Despite selling less than 20% [1] of smartphones across the world, its App Store accounts for over 64% [2] of app revenue. Apple and its developers somehow built an App Store that people are willing to spend more money on. If it's purely thanks to developers, why isn't there more revenue on Google's Play Store? [1] https://www.counterpointresearch.com/global-smartphone-share... [2] https://sens…

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I've suspected that this often-quoted disparity has something to do with China, and how Apple still controls iOS app distribution in China but the Play Store has much lower usage. So, you get weird aggregates because the total revenue numbers don't include the Chinese specific Android app stores (which, by the way, are insane; Huawei takes a 50% commission on game sales in their's, and…

iPhone users are much more willing to buy IAPs outside of china too. So it’s not just china that brings in the money.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#122

Post by procombo »

simonh wrote: post #86
enos_feedler wrote: post #30

"The “way” is already paid by the hardware — but Apple uses their position of power to double-dip." I understand the optics of this don't look good, but is it wrong to have multiple sources of revenue derived from the "way"? 1. what happens if supply chain dynamics and smartphone market competition negatively impact the hardware margins? What happens when consumer appetite for innovation in the phone stagnates and ma…

Hmm, I generally take the pro-Apple stance on this. I don’t want side loading or third party stores. It’s Apples product and they get to decide what features it has, IMHO. I don’t want government committees dictating the security model and software architecture of my phone, thanks. However Marco’s argument is spot on. Apple is saying in Senate hearings that App developers are picking up crumbs from the App Store’s fl…

I also "don’t want government committees dictating the security model", but IMHO it's a big leap from that to advocating against consumer choice within a general purpose product.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#123

Post by tshaddox »

shkkmo wrote: post #108
tshaddox wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One could argue that this is a bit like saying “if McDonald’s burgers are so good, they should be able to withstand putting competing restaurants’ burgers on their menu.”

Then one would be making an argument using an analogy that is quite obviously not actually analagous at all. The more correct analogy is a McDonald's franchise that actively uses every method at their disposal to prevent other fast food restaurants from opening near where you live.

In what way does Apple do that?

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#124

Post by josteink »

Terretta wrote: post #50

CC processing and CDN is disingenuously reductive of the experience users have been subjected to buying digital software other ways. Users don’t choose an app store based on how good the processor or download is, or even on discovery, but on trust. Some portion of this fee, arguably much of it, is a friction and trust gap between one experience and the experiences they have elsewhere. Just as someone doesn’t choose t…

> Users don’t choose an app store based on how good the processor or download is, or even on discovery, but on trust.

Yes. For instance if people could install the Steam store on their phones, gamers would do so in droves and Apple don’t want people to be given that choice.

That would cut into their ability to tax and control all commerce happening on the user’s device, which to be clear, is not Apple’s property.

The monopolistic AppStore we’re forced to use is a BS arrangement and Apple is just afraid of what real competition would bring.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#125

Post by tobr »

tshaddox wrote: post #112
cmckn wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is another way to extract money from developers -- you have to purchase the search ad for your own app in order to show up first when someone searches for the exact name of your app. Not only does this cost feel a bit silly, it can also be substantial. From the blog's author, Marco Arment, who develops Overcast: https://twitter.com/marcoarment/status/1392089383864393728/p... CPT (cost for a single tap): $2.18 CP…

Would fewer restrictions on publishing apps that pretend to be other apps somehow improve the situation?

Trust is supposed to be one of the things the AppStore provides, which is used as an argument against third-party stores. But since Apple is failing so miserably in this regard it’s not a good argument.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#126

Post by tshaddox »

smoldesu wrote: post #94
tshaddox wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One could argue that this is a bit like saying “if McDonald’s burgers are so good, they should be able to withstand putting competing restaurants’ burgers on their menu.”

No, this is more like asking McDonald's not to blow up new restaurants within a week of them coming to town because they didn't "ask permission" from them first.

What does Apple do that is analogous to destroying competitors’ property?

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#127

Post by mrkstu »

smoldesu wrote: post #104
leokennis wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So Apple’s argument stands… Basically, Apple is a wealthy neighborhood. If you sell nice bags or expensive cars, you want to be near the people who can afford them. So you need to rent store space in the wealthy neighborhood. Where rent is higher than in the outskirts. Sure you could try to sell your goods in the outskirts (the Play Store) but you won’t sell as much. To bring it back to non-metaphors. Apple is the on…

> Apple is the only maker of premium phones So by your own admission, Apple has a monopoly on the premium market, and is using that power to broker their audience for a premium fee to developers who simply want to sell their code to someone who's willing to pay for it? That is one of the most dystopian arguments I've ever heard, bravo.

Is a segment a market?

And it is also simply untrue that Apple is the only premium handset maker- plenty of Chinese competition in China and Samsung elsewhere.

It is dominant in the segment but it is at best part of a duopoly.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#128

Post by dzonga »

anyone remember Steve's job's remark that Apple was a software company. Better software on integrated hardware. and likewise, developers need to start acting like they're software companies not just "developers". End of day "developers" are what makes a platform valuable. I was once like that, enamoured by Apple while throwing business sense out of the window. in street terms, it's like the difference between a street prostitute and a mistress.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#129

Post by smoldesu »

tshaddox wrote: post #126
smoldesu wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, this is more like asking McDonald's not to blow up new restaurants within a week of them coming to town because they didn't "ask permission" from them first.

What does Apple do that is analogous to destroying competitors’ property?

Apple isn't a competitor in this analogy, they're the government. They own every piece of land and decide how to use it, and also how many burgers they want to sell you.

Re: Apple-Developer Relations

#130

Post by smoldesu »

tshaddox wrote: post #112
cmckn wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is another way to extract money from developers -- you have to purchase the search ad for your own app in order to show up first when someone searches for the exact name of your app. Not only does this cost feel a bit silly, it can also be substantial. From the blog's author, Marco Arment, who develops Overcast: https://twitter.com/marcoarment/status/1392089383864393728/p... CPT (cost for a single tap): $2.18 CP…

Would fewer restrictions on publishing apps that pretend to be other apps somehow improve the situation?

It would be better than outright lying to their customers by saying that they are protecting them, yes.
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