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

More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 111 posts

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#11

Post by busymom0 »

> App store commissions — typically 30% — are charged to developers, who then usually pass the cost off to consumers who are buying apps or making purchases in things like mobile games.

Both Apple and Google now take 15% commission.

I am not a fan of neither companies, plus I am an app developer for both. I don't have a problem with the 15% fee from Apple as it's quite fair for the services and human interaction they provide. Though a case can be made that the $135 CAD developer license fee per year should take care of that. Google on the other hand will ban your app for strange reasons (look at the recent DroidScript app debacle) and won't even let you talk to a human unless you are big enough to get some tech sites to write about it. On the other hand Google at least allowed side loading apps something which Apple doesn't let you do easily. But then Google doesn't allow competitive app stores on their play store which is a problem. I think overall, both companies need to be reigned in but in my opinion, going after the 15% is not the right way.

Edit: Why the downvotes?

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#12

Post by ojbyrne »

donmcronald wrote: post #5
dontblink wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While the Internet never forgets, I find people's memory to be fairly fickle.

I could be wrong, but it sure seems like there are a couple of upcoming generations that can’t afford houses that will “cancel” some of these companies at the drop of a hat. I think we’ll eventually hit a tipping point where the economic realities of what’s been going on for the last 3-4 decades will suddenly become the focus of the majority and big companies will have no good will to defend themselves.

Your anger reminds me of how many people (including me) felt about m$ft in the nineties. I predict similar results.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#13

Post by cartoonworld »

Guest42 wrote: post #8
irrational wrote: post #4

Isn't the obvious question, why Google and not Apple? Or maybe, why not Google AND Apple?

Seems like they are both getting legal attention, just separately. I wonder if the magnitude of these cases is better handled by 2 teams at once to speed them up?

There are two very different scenarios and companies that both happen to be about exorbitant fees. I'm not sure about this but I think you can't really do the suit at once with two companies. You would require legislation for that, I think.

Apple also has a tighter hold on the app ecosystem, as well as the developer fee, xcode, no third party app stores, "entitlement" apis, etc.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#14

Post by donmcronald »

savant_penguin wrote: post #10
rebelos wrote: post #9

I'm really hoping someone wakes up and realizes the problem is not the fees but that consumers don't know about them. Let the consumer be informed about Google and Apple's rake on all their in-app charges. The outrage will take care of the rest. Not sure about Google, but Apple has deliberately prohibited developers from itemizing the 30% fee for consumers. That simple rule is what keeps their money pipe flowing. Mar…

The prices aren't invisible to the companies putting the app on the Google store. In principle they could try and use a different store with lower fees and reduce their prices for the same margins couldn't they?

They mean for the average app purchaser:

    $0.70 - App
    $0.30 - Apple Fee
    $1.00 - Total
And I agree. The reason it’s obfuscated is because people would instantly realize it’s bad value.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#15

Post by shadilay »

rebelos wrote: post #9

I'm really hoping someone wakes up and realizes the problem is not the fees but that consumers don't know about them. Let the consumer be informed about Google and Apple's rake on all their in-app charges. The outrage will take care of the rest. Not sure about Google, but Apple has deliberately prohibited developers from itemizing the 30% fee for consumers. That simple rule is what keeps their money pipe flowing. Mar…

Absolutely. Let consumers have the choice of paying for the convenience of paying via Apple/Google or paying another way. People still buy games on steam even if it's cheaper elsewhere and they know they're paying for convenience.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#16

Post by lvzwilson »

savant_penguin wrote: post #10
rebelos wrote: post #9

I'm really hoping someone wakes up and realizes the problem is not the fees but that consumers don't know about them. Let the consumer be informed about Google and Apple's rake on all their in-app charges. The outrage will take care of the rest. Not sure about Google, but Apple has deliberately prohibited developers from itemizing the 30% fee for consumers. That simple rule is what keeps their money pipe flowing. Mar…

The prices aren't invisible to the companies putting the app on the Google store. In principle they could try and use a different store with lower fees and reduce their prices for the same margins couldn't they?

Some companies already do this, at least on iOS. For example, the perks you can buy on Tinder are cheaper on its webapp than on its iOS app.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#17

Post by skinkestek »

paulcole wrote: post #7
dontblink wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While the Internet never forgets, I find people's memory to be fairly fickle.

The internet definitely forgets or HN wouldn’t have rehashed the same 11 discussions every day for the past decade.

I'd see that rather as evidence.

We are having the same discussions because we are not forgetting.

That said they also change over time.

I used to be on one side of the discussion in two different discussions, now I am on the other side.

Same goes for a number of others it seems.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#18

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

donmcronald wrote: post #14
savant_penguin wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The prices aren't invisible to the companies putting the app on the Google store. In principle they could try and use a different store with lower fees and reduce their prices for the same margins couldn't they?

They mean for the average app purchaser: $0.70 - App $0.30 - Apple Fee $1.00 - Total And I agree. The reason it’s obfuscated is because people would instantly realize it’s bad value.

Isn’t Apple’s fee 15% now?

However, I do agree. It should be shown to the user like this.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#19

Post by shadilay »

donmcronald wrote: post #2

This is the kind of thing that makes me confident CEOs, etc. are over paid by a ton. How good of a job are you doing if everyone hates your brand so much that a ton of governments are suing you? How valuable was all that JiT manufacturing bullshit that’s going to cost the car companies $100 billion this year. How good is the leadership that’s taken the brand image of companies that used to be respected (ex: GE applia…

Leadership works for their bonus, not for the company. Any alignment of incentives is purely coincidental.

Re: More than 30 states sue Google over 'extravagant' fees in Play store

#20

Post by shadilay »

busymom0 wrote: post #11

> App store commissions — typically 30% — are charged to developers, who then usually pass the cost off to consumers who are buying apps or making purchases in things like mobile games. Both Apple and Google now take 15% commission. I am not a fan of neither companies, plus I am an app developer for both. I don't have a problem with the 15% fee from Apple as it's quite fair for the services and human interaction they…

Really? What's their average commission? Pareto distribution says it's going to be a lot closer to 30% than 15%.
Post reply on HN