6 ms·

This is because Netflix, knowing Apple would take 30%, does not allow you to sign up via an iPhone app. Apple takes 30% if you sign up via iPhone, not if you si

by typest 5y ago

This is because Netflix, knowing Apple would take 30%, does not allow you to sign up via an iPhone app. Apple takes 30% if you sign up via iPhone, not if you sign up via web and then use the iPhone app.

smnrchrds 5y ago
Netflix was able to do this because Apple carved out an exception for them by gerrymandering the rules so Netflix could do this. They did that because Netflix was powerful enough. Hey tried to do a similar thing, but Apple was having none of it. They were going to force them to pay them 30%, because they were not powerful enough. When the social media storm made them more powerful, Apple acquiesced.
- ibero 5y ago
  wait, what was Netflix able to do?
  - smnrchrds 5y ago
    Netflix does not allow you to sign up in their iOS app. You have to sing up and set up payment through their website, but you can use your username and password to use your subscription in iOS. They do not pay the Apple Tax. Hey tried to use the exact same, but Apple said they MUST allow sign ups in the app, using in-app purchase API, and paying 30% to Apple. Apple was not going to allow Hey to do what Netflix/Spotify/etc have done for ages, until public sentiments and social media storm forced them to acquiesce.
- sida 5y ago
  audible - the audio book app also does not allow purchases in-app. Fanhouse can just let purchases happen on web
  - smnrchrds 5y ago
    You mean Audible by Amazon.com, Inc.?
    - mrek0 5y ago
      Yep that's correct.
  - querulous 5y ago
    if you read the twitter thread or the verge article you'll see this isn't true. fanhouse did disable in app purchases and force transactions via the web and apple threatened to pull their app unless they reenabled in app purchases
- defaultname 5y ago
  Apple has always had clear exceptions for video, audio, magazine and newspaper apps. "3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video). Reader apps may offer account creation for free tiers, and account management functionality for existing customers." It isn't because Netflix or Amazon are "powerful" enough, but that they saw that these were traditional multiplatform services. I disagree with the ridiculous Hey situation (and note that Apple backed down), however let's be accurate.
  - smnrchrds 5y ago
    There are two ways to look at this: 1. Apple has strong convictions about what it is entitled to proceeds from and what it is not. It is a coincidence that the things it believes it is not entitled to proceeds from are things that the powerful companies produce; things people would leave the platform for rather than live without, like Netflix. 2. Apple is throwing its weight when it can and acquiesce when it can's. That's why exceptions are carved for the likes of Amazon and Netflix without specifically naming them. Apple's rules, as I have mentioned elsewhere [1], are too convoluted for the first explanation to make sense, at least to me. I fully understand if that explanation makes sense to other people, but I am convinced it is a matter of power. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27452865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27452865
  - fomine3 5y ago
    It's just a arbitrary rule comfortable for Apple.
    - defaultname 5y ago
      Yes, of course it is. And it's self-serving. Apple saw that they needed to have these cross-platform services -- from big and small and medium sized creators and businesses -- and they carved out exemptions.
  - crazydoggers 5y ago
    Welcome to getting downvoted for posting relevant facts that contradict the group narrative.
- fooey 5y ago
  The little tiny company I work for plays by the same rules. We don't support any subscription payments through either of the app stores, only through our website. Every couple months Apple will reject us over it, but it always escalates and we always get approved. Google at least allows us to link to our own website, but if you use our iOS app, you have to figure it out on your own if you want to subscribe.
smoldesu 5y ago
This is true, but it's still an exception made for their specific situation. Email app Hey tried doing the same thing recently, and Apple rejected the update and refused to push further feature updates until they removed it. It's a double standard, no matter how you cut it.

by typest 5y ago

smnrchrds 5y ago

Netflix was able to do this because Apple carved out an exception for them by gerrymandering the rules so Netflix could do this. They did that because Netflix was powerful enough. Hey tried to do a similar thing, but Apple was having none of it. They were going to force them to pay them 30%, because they were not powerful enough. When the social media storm made them more powerful, Apple acquiesced.

ibero 5y ago
wait, what was Netflix able to do?
- smnrchrds 5y ago
  Netflix does not allow you to sign up in their iOS app. You have to sing up and set up payment through their website, but you can use your username and password to use your subscription in iOS. They do not pay the Apple Tax. Hey tried to use the exact same, but Apple said they MUST allow sign ups in the app, using in-app purchase API, and paying 30% to Apple. Apple was not going to allow Hey to do what Netflix/Spotify/etc have done for ages, until public sentiments and social media storm forced them to acquiesce.
sida 5y ago
audible - the audio book app also does not allow purchases in-app. Fanhouse can just let purchases happen on web
- smnrchrds 5y ago
  You mean Audible by Amazon.com, Inc.?
  - mrek0 5y ago
    Yep that's correct.
- querulous 5y ago
  if you read the twitter thread or the verge article you'll see this isn't true. fanhouse did disable in app purchases and force transactions via the web and apple threatened to pull their app unless they reenabled in app purchases
defaultname 5y ago
Apple has always had clear exceptions for video, audio, magazine and newspaper apps. "3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video). Reader apps may offer account creation for free tiers, and account management functionality for existing customers." It isn't because Netflix or Amazon are "powerful" enough, but that they saw that these were traditional multiplatform services. I disagree with the ridiculous Hey situation (and note that Apple backed down), however let's be accurate.
- smnrchrds 5y ago
  There are two ways to look at this: 1. Apple has strong convictions about what it is entitled to proceeds from and what it is not. It is a coincidence that the things it believes it is not entitled to proceeds from are things that the powerful companies produce; things people would leave the platform for rather than live without, like Netflix. 2. Apple is throwing its weight when it can and acquiesce when it can's. That's why exceptions are carved for the likes of Amazon and Netflix without specifically naming them. Apple's rules, as I have mentioned elsewhere [1], are too convoluted for the first explanation to make sense, at least to me. I fully understand if that explanation makes sense to other people, but I am convinced it is a matter of power. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27452865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27452865
- fomine3 5y ago
  It's just a arbitrary rule comfortable for Apple.
  - defaultname 5y ago
    Yes, of course it is. And it's self-serving. Apple saw that they needed to have these cross-platform services -- from big and small and medium sized creators and businesses -- and they carved out exemptions.
- crazydoggers 5y ago
  Welcome to getting downvoted for posting relevant facts that contradict the group narrative.
fooey 5y ago
The little tiny company I work for plays by the same rules. We don't support any subscription payments through either of the app stores, only through our website. Every couple months Apple will reject us over it, but it always escalates and we always get approved. Google at least allows us to link to our own website, but if you use our iOS app, you have to figure it out on your own if you want to subscribe.

smoldesu 5y ago

This is true, but it's still an exception made for their specific situation. Email app Hey tried doing the same thing recently, and Apple rejected the update and refused to push further feature updates until they removed it. It's a double standard, no matter how you cut it.