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US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

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Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#81

Post by ncallaway »

karmasimida wrote: post #50
lacker wrote: post #47

These conditions are onerous enough that the Kindle app probably still cannot handle in-app purchases. It's really pretty annoying that I have to leave the Kindle iOS app and go to the Kindle web app to make a purchase. Obviously it wouldn't cost either Apple or Amazon anything to allow this, it wouldn't be insecure or unsafe in any way, and it would be nice for consumers. So the fact that Apple and Amazon haven't ma…

I found myself actually able to use browser to purchase Kindle books on iPhone now, is it because of this lawsuit?

No, in a regular browser you can make purchases on Amazon like normal.

If you attempt to purchase a kindle book from within the kindle app, you will not be able to. Nor will there be any messaging explaining how to make a purchase (because apple does not allow such messaging). You’ll just be mysteriously confused about why you can’t buy a book.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#82

Post by jacquesm »

bradgessler wrote: post #54

Am I getting this right? Say I use Stripe as my payment processor. Stripe takes 2.9% + $0.30, then Apple takes 27% so I'm at 29.9% + $0.30 being taken out of however much I charge for my app? For a $10 app, $0.30 is 3% putting the fee at 32.9%. For the privilege of paying 2.9% more, my users get to see a scary privacy message and when I bill the customer a year later for a subscription, there's a 20-30% chance that t…

Oh absolutely it is. But all app store developers are complicit in enabling that monopoly. What should happen is that all app store developers withdraw their apps until Apple sees the light. But that won't happen because every app store developer will be pitted against their competition in a race to the bottom who will accept the highest fees that Apple is going to impose and sooner or later you'll be back at that 30% or you'll go without income. Solidarity is what drives change, without solidarity you're without a chance.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#83

Post by pests »

MobileVet wrote: post #56

I am curious if any businesses operating with the ‘pay Apple their cut’ on outside sales actually do? Does Apple have the manpower to chase every developer for that fee? Do they really expect to collect it or is it more of a threat? Any HN people with first hand knowledge of a business paying that fee?

If Apple can track your outside sales they can just deduct it from any Apple Store payments. So maybe not exactly a chase for that portion of it.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#84

Post by judge2020 »

MobileVet wrote: post #56

I am curious if any businesses operating with the ‘pay Apple their cut’ on outside sales actually do? Does Apple have the manpower to chase every developer for that fee? Do they really expect to collect it or is it more of a threat? Any HN people with first hand knowledge of a business paying that fee?

Apple likely has a pretty good idea of how many downloads you have, and if users enable "Share with Apple Developers" in settings -> privacy -> analytics, their App Store Connect database definitely has usage and open analytics. Mobile app games likely won't be able to claim "we only made $30k this month on iOS" if they have >1M downloads a month or 100k app opens a day, for example.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#86

Post by tick_tock_tick »

mortenjorck wrote: post #26

Demanding a 27% commission for transactions taking place entirely outside of Apple infrastructure is obviously a finger in the eye, but I'm not entirely sure whose eye yet. Epic? The court? The FTC? The developer community? All of the above?

All of the above for sure.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#87

Post by throwaway2037 »

lxgr wrote: post #48
danpalmer wrote: post #23

This is not new. The 27% fee has been around for over a year now I think, may have been announced in 2021 even, for markets outside the US that already mandate this. I've seen these screens already in apps.

It's been mandated for dating apps in the Netherlands, to my knowledge. It being allowed for all apps in the US is arguably still news.

> mandated for dating apps in the Netherlands

In this scenario, is there something specific that we should know/understand about (a) dating apps or (b) the Netherlands?

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#88

Post by smoldesu »

Hikikomori wrote: post #85

If you are are ok with this you should also be ok with Apple taking a cut on anything you buy with their browser, why not also take a fee for any data going in and out of your phone.

Don't threaten Apple with a profitable idea.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#89

Post by aaomidi »

jacquesm wrote: post #82
bradgessler wrote: post #54

Am I getting this right? Say I use Stripe as my payment processor. Stripe takes 2.9% + $0.30, then Apple takes 27% so I'm at 29.9% + $0.30 being taken out of however much I charge for my app? For a $10 app, $0.30 is 3% putting the fee at 32.9%. For the privilege of paying 2.9% more, my users get to see a scary privacy message and when I bill the customer a year later for a subscription, there's a 20-30% chance that t…

Oh absolutely it is. But all app store developers are complicit in enabling that monopoly. What should happen is that all app store developers withdraw their apps until Apple sees the light. But that won't happen because every app store developer will be pitted against their competition in a race to the bottom who will accept the highest fees that Apple is going to impose and sooner or later you'll be back at that 30…

Victim blaming and expects a mass market behavior change is not good, or realistic.

Re: US developers can offer non-app store purchasing, Apple still collect commission

#90

Post by jacquesm »

aaomidi wrote: post #89
jacquesm wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh absolutely it is. But all app store developers are complicit in enabling that monopoly. What should happen is that all app store developers withdraw their apps until Apple sees the light. But that won't happen because every app store developer will be pitted against their competition in a race to the bottom who will accept the highest fees that Apple is going to impose and sooner or later you'll be back at that 30…

Victim blaming and expects a mass market behavior change is not good, or realistic.

Victims don't normally collaborate with their abuser.

edit: here's one of the 'victims': https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39022303

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