Comment on Apple’s biggest critics are big mad about the new 27 percent App Store tax

• kirklennon@kbin.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  It's a commission for access to a lucrative market that Apple created. Apple gives away the developer tools and charges an extremely modest annual App Store fee, which also covers the review process and hosting. It's been common for platform creators to charge third-party developers in some capacity for many decades. Some do it by charging high costs for the developer tools, others by charging a commission based on sales. I don't think any strategy is necessarily better or worse than the other on a legal or moral basis; they're just business decisions. Previously Apple has combined the commission and payment processing costs into one fee. Apple made a business decision on what they wanted to offer developers on that platform and Epic wasn't satisfied with it. They got a court to agree on what is ultimately a minor technical point in how Apple's deal is packaged so Apple is offering an alternative that they don't want to but complies with the law. It's, ultimately, a worse deal for the developer. Developers don't have a right to demand that some arbitrary percentage is the right one. It's a business proposition: take it or leave it.

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  • 520@kbin.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It's a commission for access to a lucrative market that Apple created.

    Which Apple already got their money for. Or did you think those $1k iPhones were at cost?

    Apple gives away the developer tools and charges an extremely modest annual App Store fee, which also covers the review process and hosting.

    A review process they themselves mandate. You also forget they also charge 30% for anything sold through their store. Which they also mandate you use.

    It's been common for platform creators to charge third-party developers in some capacity for many decades.

    Not for services they aren't providing, it isn't.

    Some do it by charging high costs for the developer tools, others by charging a commission based on sales.

    Again, these are for services that are being provided. Apple is charging people to not use their own payment service.

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    • kirklennon@kbin.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      You also forget they also charge 30% for anything sold through their store.

      That’s literally what we’re discussing.

      Not for services they aren't providing, it isn't.

      Third-party console game developers paid money to the console maker even for physical sales.

      Again, these are for services that are being provided. Apple is charging people to not use their own payment service.

      The payment service is 3%; the commission is the other 27%. That’s what a commission is. It’s for access to the market.

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      • 520@kbin.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        That’s literally what we’re discussing.

        No, we are discussing services not sold through their store and not using their payment provider. That is literally the topic of the post.

        Third-party console game developers paid money to the console maker even for physical sales.

        Third party console games don't literally pay money to not use services.

        The payment service is 3%; the commission is the other 27%. That’s what a commission is. It’s for access to the market.

        And that doesn't strike you as patently fucking insane? 27%? For doing literally fucking nothing? For literally providing no added value beyond which you as a developer have already paid for?

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• Telodzrum@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  No one has brought an action regarding it, yet. That’s all.

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• dpkonofa@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  This structure was literally offered by the judge in the Epic case. The judge said that Apple is entitled to the fees whether the transactions are completed by Apple or not as long as they originated on the platform that Apple maintains and grows.

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