21–30 of 34 posts
What is this article talking about? Basically every app I have on my phone that takes payments from me accepts ApplePay and also credit cards.
I believe they mean iOS in-app purchases when they say "ApplePay". Swap the two out mentally while reading, and it makes a bit more sense. To be honest, I'm very surprised by that mistake, given where it's published – I'd hope that people working on GNU Taler understand the basics of their competitive environment.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's a rule imposed by Costco, not by Visa or Mastercard. Structurally, that's a completely different story. In fact, Visa's and Mastercard's rules used to even prohibit merchants from any kind of selective acceptance (e.g. "no commercial cards" or "only debit cards") or even from charging different fees by type. This used to be called the "honor all cards rule", but is now no longer legal in many markets in its mo…
So you’re saying Apple IAP as merchant of record forcing use of Apple Pay is ok (?) but Apple App Store forcing use of Apple IAP as the only merchant of record is not? (You were clarifying the difference between these things elsewhere so hoping you could clarify this, thanks.) (And I want to see more Costco v Apple comparisons!)
I’m just saying these are structurally very different scenarios and I don’t think they can be used as an analogy.
The core issue is that in the case of Costco, there’s only two immediate actors: Costco and its customers. For Apple in-app purchases, there’s three: Apple, app vendors, and Apple users. The argument is leveraging that Apple is unfairly monetizing its captive user base through app vendors.
Now Costco is also leveraging its captive user base, but they are doing so against card issuers, which can be seen as somewhat affiliated with cardholders (and thus by extension Costco consumers) – because they pay them kickbacks in exchange for preferring using one card over the other!
Both fascinating case studies in economics, but structurally distinct.
What is this article talking about? Basically every app I have on my phone that takes payments from me accepts ApplePay and also credit cards.
What is this article talking about? Basically every app I have on my phone that takes payments from me accepts ApplePay and also credit cards.
I believe they may be confusing the requirements. If I understand the App Store rules, you can accept payments from other places but you have included ApplePay as an option too. So, Apple doesn’t restrict you to ApplePay only but that you have to include ApplePay.
If there is, it’d be honored in the breach; uncountable apps take card payments but not Apple Pay.
What is this article talking about? Basically every app I have on my phone that takes payments from me accepts ApplePay and also credit cards.
I believe they mean iOS in-app purchases when they say "ApplePay". Swap the two out mentally while reading, and it makes a bit more sense. To be honest, I'm very surprised by that mistake, given where it's published – I'd hope that people working on GNU Taler understand the basics of their competitive environment.
Just on my phone, several apps let me subscribe via the Apple AppStore but also by subscribing on their website with a credit card (like Discord, NYT, AllTrails, HBO, etc)
And that’s not even considering that when I pay for an in-app purchase… I’m paying with my credit card. Apple takes their cut, but it’s still my Amex or visa or whatever that I’m using via my Apple account.
It feels like the only viable part of this beef is that apps can’t accept both in-app purchases and alternate payments directly on their iOS app for functionality within the app?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe they may be confusing the requirements. If I understand the App Store rules, you can accept payments from other places but you have included ApplePay as an option too. So, Apple doesn’t restrict you to ApplePay only but that you have to include ApplePay.
I don’t believe there is any “must support Apple Pay if accepting card payments” rule. If there is, it’d be honored in the breach; uncountable apps take card payments but not Apple Pay.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
So you’re saying Apple IAP as merchant of record forcing use of Apple Pay is ok (?) but Apple App Store forcing use of Apple IAP as the only merchant of record is not? (You were clarifying the difference between these things elsewhere so hoping you could clarify this, thanks.) (And I want to see more Costco v Apple comparisons!)
No, I’m not trying to argue that at all! I consider forced in-app purchases very problematic. I’m just saying these are structurally very different scenarios and I don’t think they can be used as an analogy. The core issue is that in the case of Costco, there’s only two immediate actors: Costco and its customers. For Apple in-app purchases, there’s three: Apple, app vendors, and Apple users. The argument is leveragin…
Costco Warehouse = Apple App Store.
Dyson (vacuum vendor) = WidgetApp (digital goods vendor).
Dyson sold in the Costco Warehouse must use Costco as the merchant. WidgetApp sold in the Apple App Store must use iOS IAP merchant of record solution (??).
Costco Warehouse forces use of Visa (or Mastercard - depends on country). Apple iOS IAP does NOT require Apple Pay.
Of course Apple doesn’t buy goods from suppliers before selling them to customers, unlike Costco. And Costco Warehouse is members only, unlike Apple (unless you squint and view iPhone ownership as a membership).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t believe there is any “must support Apple Pay if accepting card payments” rule. If there is, it’d be honored in the breach; uncountable apps take card payments but not Apple Pay.
I could be mistaken, yes but that was what I remember being clarified with the Epic Games debacle. Epic _only_ wanted to give user only one available option but Apple said they had to give them an Apple IAP option too.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, I’m not trying to argue that at all! I consider forced in-app purchases very problematic. I’m just saying these are structurally very different scenarios and I don’t think they can be used as an analogy. The core issue is that in the case of Costco, there’s only two immediate actors: Costco and its customers. For Apple in-app purchases, there’s three: Apple, app vendors, and Apple users. The argument is leveragin…
I’m trying to understand the structure, is this about right? Costco Warehouse = Apple App Store. Dyson (vacuum vendor) = WidgetApp (digital goods vendor). Dyson sold in the Costco Warehouse must use Costco as the merchant. WidgetApp sold in the Apple App Store must use iOS IAP merchant of record solution (??). Costco Warehouse forces use of Visa (or Mastercard - depends on country). Apple iOS IAP does NOT require App…
Imagine people living in houses or apartments with a proprietary kind of power outlet, and the patent owner/real estate developer is willing to grant you, an appliance manufacturer, a license for power plugs compatible with that outlet – under the condition that you exclusively sell them in their storefronts, for a 30% cut.