5 ms·

Apple didn't help deliver my ebook or podcast. They don't deserve 30% of that.

musicale 4y ago
> Apple didn't help deliver my ebook or podcast How true. Well, except for: - designing and manufacturing the hardware - marketing and selling the hardware - creating and promoting the Books app - popularizing podcasts with the iPod - creating and promoting the Podcasts app etc. > They don't deserve 30% of that. This illustrates my point: the core dispute is over platform fees charged by the App Store.
- imoverclocked 4y ago
  Agreed. I think people commonly mistake simplicity for ease. Apple spends a lot of engineering budget making products simple enough for the masses.
  - grapescheesee 4y ago
    Isn’t this part of the problem? I enjoy when things are able to change in life based on effort, or choice, not the ease of sedation or being pacified from convenience.
- fastball 4y ago
  I think you're misunderstanding the GP. They're talking about services provided entirely by other people, e.g. buying ebooks from Amazon. In that light, here are the responses to your bullets: - the hardware I already paid for - this should be included in the price of the hardware (and certainly is in the case of Apple) - I don't use the Books app, I use the Amazon Kindle app - I never listened to a podcast on my iPod - I don't use the Podcasts app, I use the Spotify app So in the case of Amazon/Spotify, what value is Apple delivering beyond paying for download bandwidth in order for me to download the app (which is like, $0.000001 of bw costs)?
  - Retric 4y ago
    > this should be included in the price of the hardware But it isn’t. One of the reasons Apple continues to support old hardware is they collect revenue from the App Store on older devices. The platform ecosystem is more than just device hardware + server hardware + bandwidth.
    - tomByrer 4y ago
      Alt reason why "Apple continues to support old hardware": If some people found out that they NEED to get a new phone every 2 years that costs $1,000, then they might look to another cell phone manufacturer. I'm sure the store is a factor though!
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
  - oreally 4y ago
    This. If 'the algorithm' decides not to promote your app, you should have to option to pay less. Unfortunately, there has yet to be good business incentives for a change like this. Hence it feels very much like a winner take all market.
  - eigen 4y ago
    > - I don't use the Books app, I use the Amazon Kindle app Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing offers 2 options: 35% royalty and 70% royalty. https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200644210 https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200644210 You can choose between two royalty options for each of your eBooks: the 35% royalty option and the 70% royalty option. -If you select the 35% royalty option, your royalty will be 35% of your list price without VAT for each unit sold. -If you select the 70% royalty option, your royalty will be 70% of your list price without VAT, less delivery costs (average delivery costs are $0.06 per unit sold, and vary by file size), for each eligible book sold to customers in the 70% territories, and 35% of the list price without VAT for each unit sold to customers residing outside the 70% territories.
- marticode 4y ago
  Pretty sure Apple was already (very handsomely) paid for their effort on designing, marketing and selling the hardware. When the customer bought it.
- senko 4y ago
  Apple's customers (people who bought iPods and iPhones) already paid handsomely for the hardware and software. It wasn't subsidized by app revenue.
- madsbuch 4y ago
  yeah, and the farmer made sure the consumer was alive, hence they should also receive 30%.
dkonofalski 4y ago
They did. They hosted the files that people downloaded when they purchased the ebook or podcast and they created the mechanism by which people can find it, rate it, and pay for it.
tinus_hn 4y ago
Apple is not the exclusive source of podcasts or ebooks on iOS or otherwise; they provide an optional store. Especially for podcasts their store is a new, optional feature and it is perfectly possible to offer your own store and your own authenticated podcasts and integrate them into Apples podcasts app. You can also offer them in Apples store and have them deal with payments and distribution and accept that they charge a 30% commission. They don’t even require exclusivity, you can both offer your own store and Apples store at the same time, whichever your customers find more convenient.

> Apple didn't help deliver my ebook or podcast How true. Well, except for: - designing and manufacturing the hardware - marketing and selling the hardware - creating and promoting the Books app - popularizing podcasts with the iPod - creating and promoting the Podcasts app etc. > They don't deserve 30% of that. This illustrates my point: the core dispute is over platform fees charged by the App Store.

imoverclocked 4y ago
Agreed. I think people commonly mistake simplicity for ease. Apple spends a lot of engineering budget making products simple enough for the masses.
- grapescheesee 4y ago
  Isn’t this part of the problem? I enjoy when things are able to change in life based on effort, or choice, not the ease of sedation or being pacified from convenience.
fastball 4y ago
I think you're misunderstanding the GP. They're talking about services provided entirely by other people, e.g. buying ebooks from Amazon. In that light, here are the responses to your bullets: - the hardware I already paid for - this should be included in the price of the hardware (and certainly is in the case of Apple) - I don't use the Books app, I use the Amazon Kindle app - I never listened to a podcast on my iPod - I don't use the Podcasts app, I use the Spotify app So in the case of Amazon/Spotify, what value is Apple delivering beyond paying for download bandwidth in order for me to download the app (which is like, $0.000001 of bw costs)?
- Retric 4y ago
  > this should be included in the price of the hardware But it isn’t. One of the reasons Apple continues to support old hardware is they collect revenue from the App Store on older devices. The platform ecosystem is more than just device hardware + server hardware + bandwidth.
  - tomByrer 4y ago
    Alt reason why "Apple continues to support old hardware": If some people found out that they NEED to get a new phone every 2 years that costs $1,000, then they might look to another cell phone manufacturer. I'm sure the store is a factor though!
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- oreally 4y ago
  This. If 'the algorithm' decides not to promote your app, you should have to option to pay less. Unfortunately, there has yet to be good business incentives for a change like this. Hence it feels very much like a winner take all market.
- eigen 4y ago
  > - I don't use the Books app, I use the Amazon Kindle app Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing offers 2 options: 35% royalty and 70% royalty. https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200644210 https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200644210 You can choose between two royalty options for each of your eBooks: the 35% royalty option and the 70% royalty option. -If you select the 35% royalty option, your royalty will be 35% of your list price without VAT for each unit sold. -If you select the 70% royalty option, your royalty will be 70% of your list price without VAT, less delivery costs (average delivery costs are $0.06 per unit sold, and vary by file size), for each eligible book sold to customers in the 70% territories, and 35% of the list price without VAT for each unit sold to customers residing outside the 70% territories.
marticode 4y ago
Pretty sure Apple was already (very handsomely) paid for their effort on designing, marketing and selling the hardware. When the customer bought it.
senko 4y ago
Apple's customers (people who bought iPods and iPhones) already paid handsomely for the hardware and software. It wasn't subsidized by app revenue.
madsbuch 4y ago
yeah, and the farmer made sure the consumer was alive, hence they should also receive 30%.

dkonofalski 4y ago

They did. They hosted the files that people downloaded when they purchased the ebook or podcast and they created the mechanism by which people can find it, rate it, and pay for it.

tinus_hn 4y ago

Apple is not the exclusive source of podcasts or ebooks on iOS or otherwise; they provide an optional store. Especially for podcasts their store is a new, optional feature and it is perfectly possible to offer your own store and your own authenticated podcasts and integrate them into Apples podcasts app. You can also offer them in Apples store and have them deal with payments and distribution and accept that they charge a 30% commission. They don’t even require exclusivity, you can both offer your own store and Apples store at the same time, whichever your customers find more convenient.