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Apple paid $35B to developers last year. It pays around $12B a year to shareholders, which today comprise a large percentage of the US population. It has 137,

Apple paid $35B to developers last year. It pays around $12B a year to shareholders, which today comprise a large percentage of the US population. It has 137,000 employees making an average comp north of $200,000 a year. It’s the world leader in consumer computer products and leads its markets in customer satisfaction measures. What is this not much else you speak of?

justapassenger 6y ago
> Apple paid $35B to developers last year. Paid is very strange term to use to describe it. They sold 3rd party software to users, while taking 30% cut.
- valuearb 6y ago
  They hosted, vetted, distributed public, provided support and developer services including a single easy to use and safe purchase system that built that market over a decade. They have been so successful that iOS developers make nine times as Android developers per device solid.
  - ric2b 6y ago
    > per device solid. Why is this always added as if it's relevant? If I'm selling an app on both stores I care about how much money I can make in total, how many Android phones have been sold globally is just trivia.
    - valuearb 6y ago
      Because it directly reflects how successful the walled garden Apple has built is for developers. It’s attracted great customers, and made them feel very safe and comfortable with purchasing apps. If you don’t like the ratio, just say App Store sales are 50% higher than Android. That $35B didn’t exist until Apple created the iPhone and built its walled garden.
  - justapassenger 6y ago
    Walmart build, vetted, distributed and provided support to Procter & Gamble products over many decades. But saying that Walmart is paying to Procter & Gamble would be also gross mischaracterization. Appstore model is as old as civilization - middle man reselling stuff. Some middle mans are more effective than others, and true, Apple is one of them. But that doesn't change characterization of the relationship. They don't pay developers for their service, they resell their stuff, while keeping hefty profit margins.
    - valuearb 6y ago
      Grocery stores were an enormous business before Walmart, it just made them more efficient. And it opened doors for lots of smaller products to reach far more customers. The entire mobile app market was not even one hundredth the size of the App Store before it was created. The walled garden Apple created made safest and easiest app purchase environment ever, which is why it attracts the highest spending by app customers and highest spending app customers. If Apple had taken the Google play route that $35B a year would be closer to $4B a year.

justapassenger 6y ago

> Apple paid $35B to developers last year. Paid is very strange term to use to describe it. They sold 3rd party software to users, while taking 30% cut.

valuearb 6y ago
They hosted, vetted, distributed public, provided support and developer services including a single easy to use and safe purchase system that built that market over a decade. They have been so successful that iOS developers make nine times as Android developers per device solid.
- ric2b 6y ago
  > per device solid. Why is this always added as if it's relevant? If I'm selling an app on both stores I care about how much money I can make in total, how many Android phones have been sold globally is just trivia.
  - valuearb 6y ago
    Because it directly reflects how successful the walled garden Apple has built is for developers. It’s attracted great customers, and made them feel very safe and comfortable with purchasing apps. If you don’t like the ratio, just say App Store sales are 50% higher than Android. That $35B didn’t exist until Apple created the iPhone and built its walled garden.
- justapassenger 6y ago
  Walmart build, vetted, distributed and provided support to Procter & Gamble products over many decades. But saying that Walmart is paying to Procter & Gamble would be also gross mischaracterization. Appstore model is as old as civilization - middle man reselling stuff. Some middle mans are more effective than others, and true, Apple is one of them. But that doesn't change characterization of the relationship. They don't pay developers for their service, they resell their stuff, while keeping hefty profit margins.
  - valuearb 6y ago
    Grocery stores were an enormous business before Walmart, it just made them more efficient. And it opened doors for lots of smaller products to reach far more customers. The entire mobile app market was not even one hundredth the size of the App Store before it was created. The walled garden Apple created made safest and easiest app purchase environment ever, which is why it attracts the highest spending by app customers and highest spending app customers. If Apple had taken the Google play route that $35B a year would be closer to $4B a year.