6 ms·

The primary reason they are doing it is because Apple did it. Same goes for every other rev share change that Apple has implemented.

DeusExMachina 6y ago
That still poses the question: why did Apple do it? I believe the reasons are the ones explained by the parent comment. Also, I don't think Google mindlessly copies anything Apple does. Sure, part of it is pure competition. But I'm sure they also evaluated the reasons behind Apple's decision.
- londons_explore 6y ago
  Note that this is 4 months later. That's about as quick as things like this can be done in a big organisation like Google where the decision has to go via policy, legal, engineering, translation, etc.
- enos_feedler 6y ago
  I believe that Google's goal is to show regulators that Apple has market power. The easiest way to demonstrate that is to follow what they do and make it look like they are in control. The reason I believe this is that it is uncharacteristic of Google to blatantly copy something like this over the years, yet it is clear they are fast following all of Apple's decisions around the app store. I would expect Google to try and differentiate and come out with a new, competitive way to make the developer ecosystem happy.
  - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
    > I believe that Google's goal is to show regulators that Apple has market power. Unlikely, since Google and Apple monopolize in the same way. Google and Apple are close allies in this fight, and if the Epic lawsuit or an antitrust investigation goes bad for one, it'll go bad for the other. > The reason I believe this is that it is uncharacteristic of Google to blatantly copy something like this over the years, This is comical. Google me-toos everything. Google Home's entire product line being a blatant Amazon Echo rip off. Google Cloud needing to launch a copy of every AWS service, etc.
    - enos_feedler 6y ago
      Actually they don't. Apple makes a consumer product and exercises control between developers and users. On the other hand, Google has power over the rest of the smartphone ecosystem via Android (practically speaking) and the installation of Google Play store. It's important that Apple move first as the "leader" and Google, representing the rest of the ecosystem "follow"
londons_explore 6y ago
Which is odd... Users of the Play store and App store are a disjoint set. Very few users will switch from Android to iOS or back because in-app purchases are cheaper. Developers are generally forced to support both stores. There wouldn't seem to be any strong reason for both stores to pick identical fee structures - they aren't really in competition.
- salicideblock 6y ago
  The discourse is that Play store and App store are monopolies (arguably duopolies) facing the developers, not the users. I expect that developers for the Play store and App store are two sets with a big overlap
  - enos_feedler 6y ago
    This is the story that Google wants you to believe by fast following Apple with pricing changes. They want to demonstrate that Apple has pricing power to regulators (just my theory). The reality is that Apple and Google are in competition, and if Google actually innovated on business model the way they do with every other aspect of their business, it would actually drive the app store fees down for Apple. Microsoft has tried to do this [1] but they don't have enough market power to move the needle. [1] https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-store-now-gives-app-developers-bigger-cut-revenue https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-store-now-gives-app...
- lordnacho 6y ago
  Users might not change phones but android users might have different behaviour to ios users in terms of how likely they are to spend. Which perhaps skews the developers towards starting on one platform or the other. But generally yes I agree that it can't be all that big a difference.
  - sokoloff 6y ago
    Low end Android phones/tablets are so cheap that some serve as dedicated displays/devices. I have one that I use as a OBD2 scanner, another sits as a DRO display on a desktop mill. My actual phone is iOS. If those facts mean I’m counted as an iOS user once and Android user twice, the iOS me spends a lot more in the Apple App Store than the two Android mes put together.

DeusExMachina 6y ago

That still poses the question: why did Apple do it? I believe the reasons are the ones explained by the parent comment. Also, I don't think Google mindlessly copies anything Apple does. Sure, part of it is pure competition. But I'm sure they also evaluated the reasons behind Apple's decision.

londons_explore 6y ago
Note that this is 4 months later. That's about as quick as things like this can be done in a big organisation like Google where the decision has to go via policy, legal, engineering, translation, etc.
enos_feedler 6y ago
I believe that Google's goal is to show regulators that Apple has market power. The easiest way to demonstrate that is to follow what they do and make it look like they are in control. The reason I believe this is that it is uncharacteristic of Google to blatantly copy something like this over the years, yet it is clear they are fast following all of Apple's decisions around the app store. I would expect Google to try and differentiate and come out with a new, competitive way to make the developer ecosystem happy.
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  > I believe that Google's goal is to show regulators that Apple has market power. Unlikely, since Google and Apple monopolize in the same way. Google and Apple are close allies in this fight, and if the Epic lawsuit or an antitrust investigation goes bad for one, it'll go bad for the other. > The reason I believe this is that it is uncharacteristic of Google to blatantly copy something like this over the years, This is comical. Google me-toos everything. Google Home's entire product line being a blatant Amazon Echo rip off. Google Cloud needing to launch a copy of every AWS service, etc.
  - enos_feedler 6y ago
    Actually they don't. Apple makes a consumer product and exercises control between developers and users. On the other hand, Google has power over the rest of the smartphone ecosystem via Android (practically speaking) and the installation of Google Play store. It's important that Apple move first as the "leader" and Google, representing the rest of the ecosystem "follow"

londons_explore 6y ago

Which is odd... Users of the Play store and App store are a disjoint set. Very few users will switch from Android to iOS or back because in-app purchases are cheaper. Developers are generally forced to support both stores. There wouldn't seem to be any strong reason for both stores to pick identical fee structures - they aren't really in competition.

salicideblock 6y ago
The discourse is that Play store and App store are monopolies (arguably duopolies) facing the developers, not the users. I expect that developers for the Play store and App store are two sets with a big overlap
- enos_feedler 6y ago
  This is the story that Google wants you to believe by fast following Apple with pricing changes. They want to demonstrate that Apple has pricing power to regulators (just my theory). The reality is that Apple and Google are in competition, and if Google actually innovated on business model the way they do with every other aspect of their business, it would actually drive the app store fees down for Apple. Microsoft has tried to do this [1] but they don't have enough market power to move the needle. [1] https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-store-now-gives-app-developers-bigger-cut-revenue https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-store-now-gives-app...
lordnacho 6y ago
Users might not change phones but android users might have different behaviour to ios users in terms of how likely they are to spend. Which perhaps skews the developers towards starting on one platform or the other. But generally yes I agree that it can't be all that big a difference.
- sokoloff 6y ago
  Low end Android phones/tablets are so cheap that some serve as dedicated displays/devices. I have one that I use as a OBD2 scanner, another sits as a DRO display on a desktop mill. My actual phone is iOS. If those facts mean I’m counted as an iOS user once and Android user twice, the iOS me spends a lot more in the Apple App Store than the two Android mes put together.