Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
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Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#2It's pretty obvious that legislation or anti-trust action will come that opens up mobile computing platforms.
Considering the whole of a large market share mobile computing OS a private market, and not subject to competitive pressures, leads to monopolistic capture similar to what utilities could achieve without regulation. Why not just move to another neighborhood if you don't like your electric bill? Well then you're subject to the monopoly on that side of the fence just the same. Illusion of choice/competition
Competitive markets are what drive down margins, thus feed those margin savings back into consumer's pockets. Cheaper goods+services are what enriches broader society and are a net positive in my view.
Some states solve the natural monopoly problem with utilities by allowing consumers to choose the energy provider separately from the utility itself. e.g making the power provider a competitive market.
If Apple's app store and browser are the best, and people prefer them, they can continue to use them. But they will have other choices in the future
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#3No substance, same arguments repeated from both sides all the time. Seems like a stalemate.
I see to ways out for a company that feels it’s getting ripped of by Apple:
1. Don’t publish in App Store, do a web app or encourage your customers to get a different platform device. Not sure which one since Google Play Store AFAIK has the same rules.
2. Charge users +30% more when buying through IAP if same is offered any place else and eat this as a cost of doing business.
Apple owns the platform. Apple sets the rules.
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#4It's pretty obvious that legislation or anti-trust action will come that opens up mobile computing platforms. Considering the whole of a large market share mobile computing OS a private market, and not subject to competitive pressures, leads to monopolistic capture similar to what utilities could achieve without regulation. Why not just move to another neighborhood if you don't like your electric bill? Well then you'…
I'm less optimistic about the inevitability of this in the United States. We haven't been able to maintain competition in any utility spaces I can think of -- internet, cable, gas, electricity, etc. There's no freedom of choice in the healthcare industry either. In many parts of the country, almost all grocery stores are part of the same massive conglomerate. The FCC is completely captured by the ISPs, and currently missing a chair, IIRC.
So what makes you so optimistic about regulation in the tech space breaking up these monopolies?
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#5I want the option to control my devices. I don’t understand the arguments that claim Apple needs to rule the device with an iron fist. What problems does it cause to make the locked down experience the default with the option for me to disable that and take control of the device after I buy it?
I want to own my stuff. I want to repair it and I want complete control over it. I think that in 10 years we’ll all have cars with a half dozen subscriptions forced on us and the apologists will still be here telling us how 10 companies all doing the exact same thing to deprive us of true ownership is a healthy, competitive market.
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#6It's pretty obvious that legislation or anti-trust action will come that opens up mobile computing platforms. Considering the whole of a large market share mobile computing OS a private market, and not subject to competitive pressures, leads to monopolistic capture similar to what utilities could achieve without regulation. Why not just move to another neighborhood if you don't like your electric bill? Well then you'…
I'm less optimistic about the inevitability of this in the United States. We haven't been able to maintain competition in any utility spaces I can think of -- internet, cable, gas, electricity, etc. There's no freedom of choice in the healthcare industry either. In many parts of the country, almost all grocery stores are part of the same massive conglomerate. The FCC is completely captured by the ISPs, and currently…
The consequences of the lack of competition are borne by a huge number of other wealthy companies/people.
Affecting pretty much anybody that builds a product that spans across mobile devices.
Spotify and Netflix pay Apple a huge percentage of their subscription revenue, for example... simply because the consumer signed up via iPhone. This is not a chorus of small time devs, these are huge companies
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#7I want the option to control my devices. I don’t understand the arguments that claim Apple needs to rule the device with an iron fist. What problems does it cause to make the locked down experience the default with the option for me to disable that and take control of the device after I buy it? I want to own my stuff. I want to repair it and I want complete control over it. I think that in 10 years we’ll all have car…
The car industry already has subscription services; Volvo, Porsche, Jaguar/Land Rover, Genesis, Nissan, all have subscription plans. Don't like those? Go down to most car dealers and you can get a short term subscription called a lease...
Funny how the world hasn't ended because of this. Just go buy an Android phone if you don't like Apple's walled garden.
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm less optimistic about the inevitability of this in the United States. We haven't been able to maintain competition in any utility spaces I can think of -- internet, cable, gas, electricity, etc. There's no freedom of choice in the healthcare industry either. In many parts of the country, almost all grocery stores are part of the same massive conglomerate. The FCC is completely captured by the ISPs, and currently…
The consequences of the lack of competition are borne by a huge number of other wealthy companies/people. Affecting pretty much anybody that builds a product that spans across mobile devices. Spotify and Netflix pay Apple a huge percentage of their subscription revenue, for example... simply because the consumer signed up via iPhone. This is not a chorus of small time devs, these are huge companies
Netflix pays reduced percentages to Apple. Been this way for a long time from what I recall. Other big companies negotiate the percentage as well.
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#9No substance, same arguments repeated from both sides all the time. Seems like a stalemate. I see to ways out for a company that feels it’s getting ripped of by Apple: 1. Don’t publish in App Store, do a web app or encourage your customers to get a different platform device. Not sure which one since Google Play Store AFAIK has the same rules. 2. Charge users +30% more when buying through IAP if same is offered any pl…
That doesn't work when you're preventing competition. Look at when movie studios used to set a ton of rules for their movies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Anti-trust_Case_of_1...
Re: Spotify CEO renews attack on Apple after Musk's salvo
#10It's pretty obvious that legislation or anti-trust action will come that opens up mobile computing platforms. Considering the whole of a large market share mobile computing OS a private market, and not subject to competitive pressures, leads to monopolistic capture similar to what utilities could achieve without regulation. Why not just move to another neighborhood if you don't like your electric bill? Well then you'…
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