Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing • Hacker News Board

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#91

Post by judge2020 » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:41 PM UTC

olau wrote: post #66

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…

I know that a consumptionist attitude is popular these days, but as a user of something like Spotify I would surely prefer as much as possible of my monetary contribution ending up with Spotify and the musicians instead of in the hands of a company controlling the market place. To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of al…

I think you’re mistaken - why would Google have agreed to this if they gave up their cut of the subscription revenue? They’re surely making some money on the backed still, possibly just 3% less than they were (to account for Spotify’s processor fees).

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#92

Post by alkonaut » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:41 PM UTC

olau wrote: post #66

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…

I know that a consumptionist attitude is popular these days, but as a user of something like Spotify I would surely prefer as much as possible of my monetary contribution ending up with Spotify and the musicians instead of in the hands of a company controlling the market place. To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of al…

Absolutely. I want 100% of the money to go to Spotify and I want a centralized one-click cancel, that looks the same for all subscriptions.

That's an unlikely combination. So the viable alternative is a middle ground. A central app store and subscription management takes a cut/adds a tax. I'm ready to pay say 1% or 2% for that service.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#93

Post by forty » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:42 PM UTC

nvahalik wrote: post #61

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…

> Assuming google works like Apple (correct me if I am wrong) While subscription cancellations work similarly, Apple holds your hand (from a dev perspective) than Google does. Apple's overall approach seems to just make sense. For instance: if you stop offering a particular plan because you don't want to offer it anymore (e.g. no more yearly plans, only monthly and quarterly). With Apple, you get a notification that…

Last time I checked (admittedly a long time on Apple, as a developer, I couldn't refund and cancel a subscription for my customers. They have to go through Apple to do that. Not a great experience.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#94

Post by syspec » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:43 PM UTC

ars wrote: post #86

harrisonjackson wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or use the extra money to improve their product and pay the musicians more - in a perfect world.

Or more realistically they'll lower prices.

Temporarily to get users to switch, or permanently if they can determine how to monetize the user's information (what you didn't read the whole EULA?)

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#95

Post by fragmede » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:43 PM UTC

rkk3 wrote: post #52

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…

Maybe costing 30% more isn't worth centralizing the subscriptions

Maybe it's worth it for no-hassle cancelling though. While 30% is steep, and you should check website pricing vs Apple in-app pricing for something you end up keeping, being able to cancel from a predictable UI is worth something compared to phone, mail in or in-person-only cancellation policies.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#96

Post by applecrazy » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:43 PM UTC

endgame wrote: post #87

olau wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know that a consumptionist attitude is popular these days, but as a user of something like Spotify I would surely prefer as much as possible of my monetary contribution ending up with Spotify and the musicians instead of in the hands of a company controlling the market place. To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of al…

> To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of all transactions. You think that would be reasonable? Since we are heading to a world with no cash, what's stopping the card companies from doing that after there's no way back? This is why I use cash as much as possible - to delay that day.

> This is why I use cash as much as possible - to delay that day.

A big thing discouraging me from using cash is how suspicious people are of you when you pay in cash. I've definitely gotten weird looks from cashiers when doing so, especially when you pay in larger bills (like $100).

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#97

Post by nawgz » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:44 PM UTC

jmacd wrote: post #79

"Over the coming months, Spotify will work with Google’s product and engineering teams to build this new experience" It's so absolutely bizarre to announce something at this stage. I wonder what is prompting it.

I don't know much about things, but I was immediately left with the feeling that this was a Google action performed vis a vis antitrust. Whether to strengthen a case against Apple or weaken one against them or some other ball game entirely, I have no clue.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#98

Post by verisimi » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:44 PM UTC

olau wrote: post #66

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…

I know that a consumptionist attitude is popular these days, but as a user of something like Spotify I would surely prefer as much as possible of my monetary contribution ending up with Spotify and the musicians instead of in the hands of a company controlling the market place. To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of al…

> Imagine a world with no cash.

I'm in :)

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#99

Post by extheat » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:46 PM UTC

jmacd wrote: post #79

"Over the coming months, Spotify will work with Google’s product and engineering teams to build this new experience" It's so absolutely bizarre to announce something at this stage. I wonder what is prompting it.

It is a big and notable event in the middle of antitrust investigations into Apple/Google by the US and the EU.

Re: Spotify and Google Announce User Choice Billing

#100

Post by taf2 » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 9:46 PM UTC

olau wrote: post #66

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…

I know that a consumptionist attitude is popular these days, but as a user of something like Spotify I would surely prefer as much as possible of my monetary contribution ending up with Spotify and the musicians instead of in the hands of a company controlling the market place. To the people who think the exorbitant fees are okay: Imagine a world with no cash. Now the payment card companies decide they want 30% of al…

Pretty confident in the US since at least 2002 - after aol, sprint and others got in big trouble it’s been super illegal to not allow people to cancel