Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018) • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#91

Post by jw1224 » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:24 PM UTC

I wonder why Netflix don’t want their content to be searchable in Apple’s TV app:

> “Since TV App is not going to happen right now, there’s nothing else to get from Netflix at this time”

The TV App is actually pretty great — one of the few parts of the Apple ecosystem where the garden walls are very low.

I can search for a TV show or film, and even when the iTunes Store has it available, TV still suggests I watch it for free (effectively) on Amazon Prime, or any other streaming services I have set up.

It’s a little surprising Apple seem happy to forego the revenue themselves — but great for users like me.

For whatever reason, Netflix is the only major streaming provider who don’t integrate with the TV App — which is a shame.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#92

Post by georgeecollins » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:25 PM UTC

munificent wrote: post #55

djyaz1200 wrote: post #12

Tech companies that reach monopoly scale (like Apple, Facebook, Amazon) should have to disclose all their agreements and honor a "Most Favored Nation" clause giving all companies the same pricing and access as the best negotiated agreement with any one company. This is the most reasonable way I can think of without breaking them up to prevent them picking winners and losers as new opportunities emerge. If you have a…

Better plan? How about we stop letting tech companies reach "monopoly scale"?

I agree, but there may be certain things like electric power grids, sewer systems, messaging systems, high bandwidth ISPs, where it may not make a lot of sense to have two (or not two in a particular geographic location). In that sense you may need some regulation.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#93

Post by ChrisMarshallNY » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:26 PM UTC

I just wish the damn AppleTV apps worked better together.

I use AppleTV for all my viewing (which isn’t really that much), and one thing that really annoys me, is the crap quality of the apps; even marqée-brand apps.

I’m constantly having to reboot the unit to get out of “lockups.”

Wouldn’t be surprised if a big reason that Netflix and Apple don’t play well with each other, is that they can’t code it (as opposed to nefarious motives -Hanlon’s Razor).

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#94

Post by moreira » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:26 PM UTC

CPLX wrote: post #62

djyaz1200 wrote: post #12

Tech companies that reach monopoly scale (like Apple, Facebook, Amazon) should have to disclose all their agreements and honor a "Most Favored Nation" clause giving all companies the same pricing and access as the best negotiated agreement with any one company. This is the most reasonable way I can think of without breaking them up to prevent them picking winners and losers as new opportunities emerge. If you have a…

We could also just put a tax of 100% on any revenue in excess of $10bn a year and nip this entire society-destroying problem in the bud.

That -sounds- simple, but it isn't, and in reality any company would easily bypass that by simply creating other companies to take some of the revenue. They already do that to avoid international taxes. As an example, the US charges tax on all income coming to a US company so companies have entities in countries like Ireland and Luxembourg to keep that money out of the US government's reach.

So Apple might have $100B stuck in Ireland, unable to bring it to the US, but it doesn't matter, that money still counts for their shareholders.

And it's the same thing here. If you try to tax $10B they'll just have 100 companies all making $9.9B/yr, in a variety of different countries, completely separate from each other, and you're back where you started.

And while this would be extremely complicated/expensive for them to manage, it'd be profitable because the alternative is to get a 100% tax on those profits.

Taxes aren't easy. And calling a company that sells phones a "society-destroying problem" is a bit hyperbolic, don't you think?

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#95

Post by jdhzzz » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:28 PM UTC

abvdasker wrote: post #77

djyaz1200 wrote: post #12

Tech companies that reach monopoly scale (like Apple, Facebook, Amazon) should have to disclose all their agreements and honor a "Most Favored Nation" clause giving all companies the same pricing and access as the best negotiated agreement with any one company. This is the most reasonable way I can think of without breaking them up to prevent them picking winners and losers as new opportunities emerge. If you have a…

This is a solved problem. Just do what most American cities do with other natural monopolies like utilities: use careful price controls to cap margins and slow rate increases. You don't need to invent some esoteric market-based solution, especially for a service where marginal costs are near zero and supply is almost infinite.

Make them a (common carrier)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_carrier] just like was done for WAN access in the USA. Hahahahahaha.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#96

Post by kmeisthax » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:29 PM UTC

ramshanker wrote: post #14

I am of the opinion that the whole "Reader apps" concept itself was brought in to selectively please big and important players. The ones whose absence would diminish the value of iPhone. Indie developer's can't be expected to get same treatment.

Luke LaFreniere has publicly stated that App Review basically refused to even entertain a Floatplane "reader app" for months, until they were able to appeal to someone who actually understood Apple's rules. They were getting absolutely nonsensical rejections that either didn't make sense or didn't account for the whole "reader app" thing.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#97

Post by jobu » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:31 PM UTC

ksec wrote: post #83

I am pretty sure I read something similar before. Probably from Benedict Evans or somewhere else. I think the most important issue from these email isn't the lack of Alternative App Store, IAP, or 70/30 split. It is that Apple Execs has Zero understanding of how other business works especially with respect to Internet or Software Services. They continue to think Netflix as a physical product ( As they often like to c…

That's interesting. As a developer I've often felt outright hostility coming from Apple developer relations, and maybe it's this lack of a partnership mentality. They generally treat end users really well, but it's like they see external developers as some sort of parasite feeding on their products. In my experience it's difficult to get actual technical help unless you personally know someone internal to Apple.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#98

Post by ric2b » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:33 PM UTC

CPLX wrote: post #62

djyaz1200 wrote: post #12

Tech companies that reach monopoly scale (like Apple, Facebook, Amazon) should have to disclose all their agreements and honor a "Most Favored Nation" clause giving all companies the same pricing and access as the best negotiated agreement with any one company. This is the most reasonable way I can think of without breaking them up to prevent them picking winners and losers as new opportunities emerge. If you have a…

We could also just put a tax of 100% on any revenue in excess of $10bn a year and nip this entire society-destroying problem in the bud.

Too easy to get around, as soon as company A starts making $11B they make a new company B that charges $1B for some random service, probably "consulting".

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#99

Post by i_like_apis » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:33 PM UTC

jw1224 wrote: post #91

I wonder why Netflix don’t want their content to be searchable in Apple’s TV app: > “Since TV App is not going to happen right now, there’s nothing else to get from Netflix at this time” The TV App is actually pretty great — one of the few parts of the Apple ecosystem where the garden walls are very low. I can search for a TV show or film, and even when the iTunes Store has it available, TV still suggests I watch it…

With the flood of medium quality content coming from Netflix in the past few years I'm almost happy with it not showing up.

Re: Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)

#100

Post by kortilla » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 7:34 PM UTC

abvdasker wrote: post #77

djyaz1200 wrote: post #12

Tech companies that reach monopoly scale (like Apple, Facebook, Amazon) should have to disclose all their agreements and honor a "Most Favored Nation" clause giving all companies the same pricing and access as the best negotiated agreement with any one company. This is the most reasonable way I can think of without breaking them up to prevent them picking winners and losers as new opportunities emerge. If you have a…

This is a solved problem. Just do what most American cities do with other natural monopolies like utilities: use careful price controls to cap margins and slow rate increases. You don't need to invent some esoteric market-based solution, especially for a service where marginal costs are near zero and supply is almost infinite.

Absolutely not a solved problem. The utilities have no reason to innovate at that point.

In my local municipality I have no way to choose renewable energy apart from building my own power plant on my roof. That’s a complete failure of these government granted monopolies.