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Does anyone else think it would have been brilliant for the Android ecosystem if they could have beat Apple's 30% cut with the Android Market?

danzheng 15y ago
The challenge on Android is that Google needs to split revenue with carriers. I agree 5% will be sweet for android developers.
roc 15y ago
Only if you're working from the theory that a lower cut would've translated to lower prices, and users aren't buying Android software because prices are too high. As users generally don't even think about, let alone make buying decisions about, who's getting what cut of the $2 price of a video game or the $7 price of some ebook, I don't think it would have mattered.
- cosgroveb 15y ago
  You don't think Google taking a lower cut on the Market wouldn't incentivize more of the successful iOS developers to take Android more seriously? You don't think anyone would say, "hmm, if I develop this for Android, they are only taking 10% rather than 30%, maybe I should give it a shot." With higher quality apps on the Market, Android owners might be more willing to fork over money for them.
  - rgbrgb 15y ago
    This was my thought. Currently, as an indie dev, I see absolutely no reason to focus on Android rather than iOS. If anything there are a number of reasons not to (inconsistent OS versions, screen sizes, etc). A chance to up my per app revenue would definitely be a plus in the android column.
  - roc 15y ago
    > "You don't think Google taking a lower cut on the Market wouldn't incentivize more of the successful iOS developers to take Android more seriously" Not really. I think the teams that were going to branch out largely did and still do. And from the results we keep hearing, I don't think a smaller cut is going to change any minds of those who decided against it. As to more good for-pay apps leading to more purchasing, I don't know that would necessarily follow. Particularly not after the Angry Birds experience seemed to suggest direct sales weren't even that great for a game at the level of a cultural phenomenon.
    - lukifer 15y ago
      If Android Market lowered its cut to 15-20%, iFlowReader could live again on Android tablets. I consider it very shortsighted of Google to not try to compete with Apple on this point.
    - cosgroveb 15y ago
      What experience would that be? To my knowledge, Rovio still has not released a paid version of Angry Birds although it has been planned since February at least.
      - roc 15y ago
        I seem to be misremembering. I thought there were two versions at launch, with the paid version going away quickly in favor of ad-driven.
      - Macha 15y ago
        It exists. On the Amazon Appstore for Americans only. So no good to me, but maybe useful for you.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
  - GHFigs 15y ago
    Bigger slice of a smaller pie.

danzheng 15y ago

The challenge on Android is that Google needs to split revenue with carriers. I agree 5% will be sweet for android developers.

roc 15y ago

Only if you're working from the theory that a lower cut would've translated to lower prices, and users aren't buying Android software because prices are too high. As users generally don't even think about, let alone make buying decisions about, who's getting what cut of the $2 price of a video game or the $7 price of some ebook, I don't think it would have mattered.

cosgroveb 15y ago
You don't think Google taking a lower cut on the Market wouldn't incentivize more of the successful iOS developers to take Android more seriously? You don't think anyone would say, "hmm, if I develop this for Android, they are only taking 10% rather than 30%, maybe I should give it a shot." With higher quality apps on the Market, Android owners might be more willing to fork over money for them.
- rgbrgb 15y ago
  This was my thought. Currently, as an indie dev, I see absolutely no reason to focus on Android rather than iOS. If anything there are a number of reasons not to (inconsistent OS versions, screen sizes, etc). A chance to up my per app revenue would definitely be a plus in the android column.
- roc 15y ago
  > "You don't think Google taking a lower cut on the Market wouldn't incentivize more of the successful iOS developers to take Android more seriously" Not really. I think the teams that were going to branch out largely did and still do. And from the results we keep hearing, I don't think a smaller cut is going to change any minds of those who decided against it. As to more good for-pay apps leading to more purchasing, I don't know that would necessarily follow. Particularly not after the Angry Birds experience seemed to suggest direct sales weren't even that great for a game at the level of a cultural phenomenon.
  - lukifer 15y ago
    If Android Market lowered its cut to 15-20%, iFlowReader could live again on Android tablets. I consider it very shortsighted of Google to not try to compete with Apple on this point.
  - cosgroveb 15y ago
    What experience would that be? To my knowledge, Rovio still has not released a paid version of Angry Birds although it has been planned since February at least.
    - roc 15y ago
      I seem to be misremembering. I thought there were two versions at launch, with the paid version going away quickly in favor of ad-driven.
    - Macha 15y ago
      It exists. On the Amazon Appstore for Americans only. So no good to me, but maybe useful for you.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
- GHFigs 15y ago
  Bigger slice of a smaller pie.