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Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

newsroom.spotify.com

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Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#311

Post by dantheman »

yywwbbn wrote: post #243
FredPret wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But the very concept of being an mobile app developer was brought to life by Apple, and later Google. 15 years ago, you could not really be a pro app dev. Now, you can, but with a 30% cut. You are strictly better off. And if you think the 30% is too much, do something else. These companies created something that grew into a foundational element of modern life in about a decade. That’s amazing and should be awarded wi…

The problem is when that innovative company becomes the new IBM/GE/Oracle and starts treating every client as nothing else but a revenue stream instead of focusing on creating new and innovative products. I don’t think Apple/Google are there yet but they are clearly moving into that direction.

When that happens they die - does anyone care what IBM, GE, or Oracle do? All their customers are working to get off their platforms.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#312

Post by pfranz »

whymsicalburito wrote: post #274
nerdjon wrote: post #45

As a user, why would I choose this? I only see a benefit to developers for this, but from a user prospective going with another system is a downgrade. Assuming google works like Apple (correct me if I am wrong), disabling a subscription should be able to happen from a central location with a click or 2. If I instead go with the billing through a company not only do they now have my credit card information, but I have…

When given the choice, I will always subscribe/pay/book directly with the company rather than use a 3rd party. If something goes wrong it's always easier to only need to deal with one company rather than two. Plus I'm choosing to start a relationship with a company that I give money to and thus want them to be able to use all of that money towards making the service and experience the best possible, rather than have…

I have the opposite experience with subscriptions. Have you ever tried to cancel a gym membership? Famously, companies make it easy to sign up online, but require a phone call (likely with a wait) to cancel. Many places have passed explicit laws [1].

I was a monthly donator to a public radio show. After few years I wanted to switch credit cards (with no intention of canceling or changing my donation amount). They had redesigned their website and there was no discernible way to cancel or contact them. I blindly emailed them, but never got a response. My only recourse was to cancel the credit card.

Since then I've greatly preferred a third-party to manage subscriptions. For awhile it was Paypal. In the past decade it's been Patreon and Apple.

[1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.x...

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#313

Post by YetAnotherNick »

nerdjon wrote: post #45

As a user, why would I choose this? I only see a benefit to developers for this, but from a user prospective going with another system is a downgrade. Assuming google works like Apple (correct me if I am wrong), disabling a subscription should be able to happen from a central location with a click or 2. If I instead go with the billing through a company not only do they now have my credit card information, but I have…

My guess is that they will offer it cheaper if it was paid through their site.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#314

Post by gumby »

mustyoshi wrote: post #307
gumby wrote: post #51

I do see one potential customer benefit: rather than increasing your attack surface by giving two companies your CC info you just give one (google). In theory Google is going to have more security than a bunch of smaller companies. I use Apple Pay whenever possible for this precise reason. I don't want to trust Target with my CC info. Of course since under this scheme the company I'd be sharing my card info with is t…

Or more credit card companies could offer virtual cards, that way you can even tell which service leaked your card. Capital One offers them for free.

citi used to but it was so clumsy to use I didn't bother. You'd think it would be in their interest to do so.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#315

Post by perlpimp »

nerdjon wrote: post #45

As a user, why would I choose this? I only see a benefit to developers for this, but from a user prospective going with another system is a downgrade. Assuming google works like Apple (correct me if I am wrong), disabling a subscription should be able to happen from a central location with a click or 2. If I instead go with the billing through a company not only do they now have my credit card information, but I have…

some cards might work with google play and not spotify, I was like that when I got to a country my uber did not work anymore with my old cards but I added cards to google play and paid for my ride this way. choice is good.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#316

Post by dangus »

post-it wrote: post #253
dangus wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you really wanted that you'd just not use Spotify at all.

A silly response. It's much easier to not do anything than it is to move my music ecosystem somewhere else.

There are automated tools that can transfer your playlists between streaming platforms, just for your own future reference.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#317

Post by whymsicalburito »

pfranz wrote: post #312
whymsicalburito wrote: post #274

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When given the choice, I will always subscribe/pay/book directly with the company rather than use a 3rd party. If something goes wrong it's always easier to only need to deal with one company rather than two. Plus I'm choosing to start a relationship with a company that I give money to and thus want them to be able to use all of that money towards making the service and experience the best possible, rather than have…

I have the opposite experience with subscriptions. Have you ever tried to cancel a gym membership? Famously, companies make it easy to sign up online, but require a phone call (likely with a wait) to cancel. Many places have passed explicit laws [1]. I was a monthly donator to a public radio show. After few years I wanted to switch credit cards (with no intention of canceling or changing my donation amount). They had…

You're right that there are definitely some bad actors for cancelling subscriptions, it's really crappy you've had to deal with that! I once had a recurring charge from rackspace that neither myself nor rackspace's support could tell me which account the charges were associated with! Luckily my credit card company was able to put a block on any charges coming from rackspace rather than have to cancel the entire card.

I still think there are way more good companies than bad ones when it comes to cancelling and I do value building a relationship with the companies I patronize.

It is worrying to give so much power to a 3rd party, in this case google, who is notoriously difficult to deal with when an issue arises.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#318

Post by RupertHandjob »

LewisVerstappen wrote: post #280
ikt wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

which is odd because Rogan made most of his money from Youtube which is also Google, youtube was his biggest promotional tool. So I imagine you don't watch youtube either?

He's still on YouTube btw, so still making money off the YouTube platform and gaining listeners/distribution from there. Also, there's far worse people than Joe Rogan who make a full living off YouTube, so yeah just completely ideologically inconsistent if someone is going to reject Spotify because of Rogan and still use YouTube.

It's funny. There where 101 articles when he had "anti-vax" people on. 0 articles when he had "pro-vax" people on. He can make 15 three hour episodes that none gives a fuck about, but then 1 episode that everybody loses their shit! :D

It seems that there is some kind of disparity between how Joe Rogan is being portrayed.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#319

Post by TrueDuality »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #302
Erwin wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spotify is public and you can see most of their numbers -- the Cost of Revenue for 2021 was 7 billion EUR on 9.6 in revenue. The cost is said to be mostly the royalties though it would include paying the many millions to some podcasters. The ad-supported users outnumbers premium users (236 million to 180 million) but bring in only 1/6th the revenue. So that's a factor depressing the payout per stream. https://investo…

It doesn't naturally follow that if I gave Spotify more money, they'd give it to the artists versus taking it as extra profit.

But the corollary is definitely true, if 30% of the revenue goes to Google there is no chance of that money going to the artists.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#320

Post by colordrops »

pfranz wrote: post #312
whymsicalburito wrote: post #274

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When given the choice, I will always subscribe/pay/book directly with the company rather than use a 3rd party. If something goes wrong it's always easier to only need to deal with one company rather than two. Plus I'm choosing to start a relationship with a company that I give money to and thus want them to be able to use all of that money towards making the service and experience the best possible, rather than have…

I have the opposite experience with subscriptions. Have you ever tried to cancel a gym membership? Famously, companies make it easy to sign up online, but require a phone call (likely with a wait) to cancel. Many places have passed explicit laws [1]. I was a monthly donator to a public radio show. After few years I wanted to switch credit cards (with no intention of canceling or changing my donation amount). They had…

Same, I'm on a de-googled version of Android with MicroG and basically have stopped using apps that require google payment systems to function.
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