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I don’t understand this mindset, “I want to subscribe to services of a shady company, so I will let apple to take 30% of my payments from all the developers. To

I don’t understand this mindset, “I want to subscribe to services of a shady company, so I will let apple to take 30% of my payments from all the developers. To manage it for me”. You know what thinking of it, I think instead apple must start adding 30% markup to the consumers explicitly instead of developers and make apple payment option requirement. That way developers don’t have to pay for the convenience, and the consumers can decide if they want thing cheaper or convenient.

8eye 5y ago
you know the github app? i think we should merge it with the app store and create a new type of system. the code can be compiled through the interface or it could be a precompiled binary. one good thing about this network is the community aspect
- danielhlockard 5y ago
  I think this is a naive approach. Yes, a lot of us on HN are software capable folks but you have to consider the attack surface that is convincing your parents, grandparents, etc to install some custom app that is malicious. Apple would never. Payments is one thing, side-loading on an iPhone is something else entirely.
webmobdev 5y ago
(Typical that you are being downvoted for voicing a sensible criticism against Apple.) Let's do the maths with an example: A service usually charges $10 a month. Add Apple's 30 percent cut and you end up paying $13 per month for the same service. So instead of paying $120 annually, you end up paying $156 with Apple pay. It's easy to see why both the developers and the users will be outraged by this - as a developer you are losing money after adding value to Apple's ecosystem, and as a user you are literally paying Apple just for the privilege of using an expensive device that you already paid for and thought that you owned! (Well, the user would be outraged if they actually knew that 30% of their money is going to Apple. By charging developers instead, Apple keeps its users ignorant and is indirectly exploiting their users, as every developer will just pass on the "Apple Tax" to the user. If it was apparent to the user that they have to pay Apple 30% for every app or subscription they purchase, all Apple users would think twice or thrice before purchasing an Apple device.) (And not being able to end subscription seems a very American problem.)
- ngcc_hk 5y ago
  You assume the 30% done nothing. For lower end just distribution and collecting money is a hugh barrier. For large firm I understand the same percentage does not make sense. They can handle it. Hence not sure it is the lower end developer revolt.
robertoandred 5y ago
A lot more companies make it difficult to manage subscriptions that those you happen to consider "shady".
- anaganisk 5y ago
  If your company makes it difficult for you to cut your association with it, hundreds of developers don’t have to pay a 30% fee. All Im saying is its a user convenience , and zero value to even ethical developers. If apple is to label it as Apple convenience fee and charges its 30% to users, sure. Lets see what market wants after that.

8eye 5y ago

you know the github app? i think we should merge it with the app store and create a new type of system. the code can be compiled through the interface or it could be a precompiled binary. one good thing about this network is the community aspect

danielhlockard 5y ago
I think this is a naive approach. Yes, a lot of us on HN are software capable folks but you have to consider the attack surface that is convincing your parents, grandparents, etc to install some custom app that is malicious. Apple would never. Payments is one thing, side-loading on an iPhone is something else entirely.

webmobdev 5y ago

(Typical that you are being downvoted for voicing a sensible criticism against Apple.) Let's do the maths with an example: A service usually charges $10 a month. Add Apple's 30 percent cut and you end up paying $13 per month for the same service. So instead of paying $120 annually, you end up paying $156 with Apple pay. It's easy to see why both the developers and the users will be outraged by this - as a developer you are losing money after adding value to Apple's ecosystem, and as a user you are literally paying Apple just for the privilege of using an expensive device that you already paid for and thought that you owned! (Well, the user would be outraged if they actually knew that 30% of their money is going to Apple. By charging developers instead, Apple keeps its users ignorant and is indirectly exploiting their users, as every developer will just pass on the "Apple Tax" to the user. If it was apparent to the user that they have to pay Apple 30% for every app or subscription they purchase, all Apple users would think twice or thrice before purchasing an Apple device.) (And not being able to end subscription seems a very American problem.)

ngcc_hk 5y ago
You assume the 30% done nothing. For lower end just distribution and collecting money is a hugh barrier. For large firm I understand the same percentage does not make sense. They can handle it. Hence not sure it is the lower end developer revolt.

robertoandred 5y ago

A lot more companies make it difficult to manage subscriptions that those you happen to consider "shady".

anaganisk 5y ago
If your company makes it difficult for you to cut your association with it, hundreds of developers don’t have to pay a 30% fee. All Im saying is its a user convenience , and zero value to even ethical developers. If apple is to label it as Apple convenience fee and charges its 30% to users, sure. Lets see what market wants after that.