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Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

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Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#881

Post by nottorp »

gopher_space wrote: post #804
nottorp wrote: post #558

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, you create a msi including all dependencies with tools provided to you by Microsoft free of charge and without restrictions. And mom gets a start menu icon. Can you do the same on iOS?

If I don't think of cost as a fundamental issue, what differences would I see between either approach? They're both barriers to my intent and I'm not on board with the reasoning behind erecting those barriers.

You missed the "without restrictions" part. You do not need to get the msi approved by Microsoft to distribute it.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#882

Post by jamiedumont »

paulddraper wrote: post #802

This is the tweet that Apple cited as warranting removal from the App Store: > Apple leadership faces some massive decisions in the coming weeks as the contradictions between their stated principles and the intended and actual consequences of their present policies are reckoned with: the app store monopoly, the digital goods payments monopoly, the tax, the suppression of true information about competing purchasing op…

I was expecting a full on rage-tweet too. Must have hit one of Apples sore spots.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#883

Post by AnthonyMouse »

usefulcat wrote: post #755
wkat4242 wrote: post #614

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yeah, its really weird to appeal to the noble intentions of a corporation. They're both just engaged in business. This is what's wrong with the current overly capitalist system. Companies are totally allowed to have no conscience, and externalise whatever they please to consumers and the environment. And you could even argue they are 'forced' to do so by due diligence legislation. If we let this continue there will…

It's entirely a matter of incentives. Companies are like machines whose sole purpose is to make a profit. Pretty much everything they do apart from that (make products, employ people, pollute, etc) is, strictly speaking, a side effect. If they could make just as much money (or more) without doing any of those other things, they absolutely would, and any company that wouldn't do the same would eventually be put out of…

The mechanism we have for this is supposed to be competition. If one company is screwing you over, you patronize a different one.

This, of course, doesn't work in consolidated markets, and so what is necessary is for consolidated markets to be deconsolidated.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#884

Post by vagrantJin »

Despegar wrote: post #57

Epic perhaps thought Apple might show them grace after the lawsuit in the US. A kind of repeat of the Apple-Samsung litigation where everyone has a "it's just business" attitude and keeps doing business together while simultaneously suing each other. Apple on the other hand has decided they will show them no quarter. I don't think they're being emotional about it. I think it's to show every other developer that they…

It is quite unusual to cheer for Goliath putting a David to the knife. Sure, Apple makes great premium hardware but IMO, their monopolistic actions in the digital space is something to be truly wary of.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#885

Post by AnthonyMouse »

dpkonofa wrote: post #879
RespectYourself wrote: post #778

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Epic isn't squeaky-clean, but Apple is making dangerous and dumb decisions in this whole debate. Banning third-party payments was one thing, but then Apple banned publishers from TELLING people about the ability to pay through a Web site. That is not just unnecessary from a business standpoint (since the vast majority of people opt for the most convenient thing); but it's so offensive that it invites crackdowns, impl…

>but it's so offensive that it invites crackdowns, implemented by ignorant politicians and legislative bodies... hurting Apple's bottom line. Apple is a billion (nay trillion) dollar company with the best lawyers and accountants in the world. They clearly believe that the added uncertainty and negative perception that could be attached to their brand by allowing systems that can increase fraud and malfeasance is more…

It seems pretty clear what should happen here: Apple should be able to require you to accept their payment system, but not to require you to charge uniform pricing across payment systems, and not be able to charge you anything for sales outside of their payment system.

Now you can continue to use Apple's payment system all you like, but if Apple continues to charge 30% when e.g. Stripe charges ~3%, you're going to pay the difference for the privilege.

And with any luck that would encourage Apple to match Stripe's fees, but either way, now the choice is yours instead of the extra fees being hidden and mandatory.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#886

Post by Moldoteck »

ajaimk wrote: post #11

They got kicked out for willingly breaking the rules in the past. Not for criticizing Apple. Actions have consequences.

so apple gave them green light _after_ breaking the rules and decided to go uno reverse after several weeks to red light the epic, because epic criticized apple, lol)

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#887

Post by RespectYourself »

dpkonofa wrote: post #879
RespectYourself wrote: post #778

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Epic isn't squeaky-clean, but Apple is making dangerous and dumb decisions in this whole debate. Banning third-party payments was one thing, but then Apple banned publishers from TELLING people about the ability to pay through a Web site. That is not just unnecessary from a business standpoint (since the vast majority of people opt for the most convenient thing); but it's so offensive that it invites crackdowns, impl…

>but it's so offensive that it invites crackdowns, implemented by ignorant politicians and legislative bodies... hurting Apple's bottom line. Apple is a billion (nay trillion) dollar company with the best lawyers and accountants in the world. They clearly believe that the added uncertainty and negative perception that could be attached to their brand by allowing systems that can increase fraud and malfeasance is more…

[dead]

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#889

Post by elcritch »

usefulcat wrote: post #755
wkat4242 wrote: post #614

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yeah, its really weird to appeal to the noble intentions of a corporation. They're both just engaged in business. This is what's wrong with the current overly capitalist system. Companies are totally allowed to have no conscience, and externalise whatever they please to consumers and the environment. And you could even argue they are 'forced' to do so by due diligence legislation. If we let this continue there will…

It's entirely a matter of incentives. Companies are like machines whose sole purpose is to make a profit. Pretty much everything they do apart from that (make products, employ people, pollute, etc) is, strictly speaking, a side effect. If they could make just as much money (or more) without doing any of those other things, they absolutely would, and any company that wouldn't do the same would eventually be put out of…

> It's entirely a matter of incentives. Companies are like machines whose sole purpose is to make a profit. Pretty much everything they do apart from that (make products, employ people, pollute, etc) is, strictly speaking, a side effect.

What do you base that on? Sure corporations take on a life of their own, but there's much more to most of them than purely making profits. They're made up of humans too, and usually it's some executive making a final call. There are many corporate agendas that have little to do with profit.

The meme that corporations are purely about profit needs to die, because it encourages that exact behavior by giving free reign to morally devoid executives, IMHO. Corporations can and should also be held to account legally and ethically for being good stewards of public interests in addition to profitability. In the end they're just tools for organization, and a rather effective one, but they're still run and accountable to humans and human values.

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