5 ms·

It will be quite undesirable to distribute apps through a means where economies of scale are not available for example if there is no US market

jrockway 3y ago
I don't think things will be a problem. Distributing software is fairly easy; for most apps, uploading the app binary to their website as though it's an image file or video will be sufficient. And, then you get 30% more money for your business. It will be quite popular just for the cost savings. (Distributing software is not always easy, as game companies that have 100GB game downloads on launch day will tell you. But, for most apps, it will be easy enough.)
- neximo64 3y ago
  The issue about distribution is never the technical aspect you are describing, it's about getting people to visit that website/app store in the first place. If it were that aspect aspect companies like T-Mobile, Equinix, Vodafone, Orange would dominate it. Even after the the app store is available in Europe, these companies have no chance of success. That is what it looks like will be very undesirable because it will be fragmented and competing with an all-world app store that is bundled with iOS. If you were a developer you would prefer 1000 sales at 30% cut, vs 5 sales with a 0% (supposedly still 30% if the chatter is right on Apple charging for sideloading) cut, so that would kind of feedback loop and make less people list on those app stores, which in turn makes them undesirable.
  - red_trumpet 3y ago
    How would "charging for sideloading" work? If I publish an app on my website, I wouldn't have a contract with apple, right? Would they charge the user?
    - arlcode 3y ago
      They could try some shenanigans like requiring "certification" to side load anything and that would come with a contract. It would be struck down by the courts and version 2 of this regulation but for a few years it would be there. I'm hoping apple doesn't do that but at this point I think they'll try anything they can to protect their golden goose (aka app store) even from minor competition.
  - jrockway 3y ago
    I'm not sure if the App Store is the amazing marketing tool that it's sold as. There are millions of apps, nobody is going to find yours. The biggest problem with Apple's revenue model is that they want the 30% for people that aren't really benefiting from the App Store. Spotify built their brand without Apple, and if you want their app, you just click the link they email you.
    - dwaite 3y ago
      Spotify both acquires new customers because of their iPhone app and directly _through_ their app via in-app purchases. That is the value that Apple intended to charge them for, and Spotify has continued to begrudgingly think that value is worth the headaches.
  - anticensor 3y ago
    Depends on the friction imposed by the way 30% cut is implemented.
- dwaite 3y ago
  > And, then you get 30% more money for your business. It will be quite popular just for the cost savings. You are speaking of licensing agreements to get access to the Apple SDKs, not to distribution. These are different things. Side loading on its own does not mean an end to contractual agreements to give Apple a revenue cut.
  - sofixa 3y ago
    > You are speaking of licensing agreements to get access to the Apple SDKs, not to distribution. These are different things. Side loading on its own does not mean an end to contractual agreements to give Apple a revenue cut. Isn't that what developers pay for to get access to?
WastingMyTime89 3y ago
Europe is a large enough market by itself. It’s slightly bigger than the US one.
- neximo64 3y ago
  No digital market has Europe as a larger market. When you substitute revenue for profit Europe is typically less than 10% or even less than 5% of profits if there are any for a company targeting electronic sales. The European customer is far more spend thrift.
Agingcoder 3y ago
if you’re nvidia and want to provide a proper cloud gaming app (not browser based, which has resolution limitations), it might be worth it. Apple’s conditions tend to be quite restrictive (which is why they’re having problems in the first place), so I somehow suspect there’s a rather large market, and the eu is very large anyway.

jrockway 3y ago

I don't think things will be a problem. Distributing software is fairly easy; for most apps, uploading the app binary to their website as though it's an image file or video will be sufficient. And, then you get 30% more money for your business. It will be quite popular just for the cost savings. (Distributing software is not always easy, as game companies that have 100GB game downloads on launch day will tell you. But, for most apps, it will be easy enough.)

neximo64 3y ago
The issue about distribution is never the technical aspect you are describing, it's about getting people to visit that website/app store in the first place. If it were that aspect aspect companies like T-Mobile, Equinix, Vodafone, Orange would dominate it. Even after the the app store is available in Europe, these companies have no chance of success. That is what it looks like will be very undesirable because it will be fragmented and competing with an all-world app store that is bundled with iOS. If you were a developer you would prefer 1000 sales at 30% cut, vs 5 sales with a 0% (supposedly still 30% if the chatter is right on Apple charging for sideloading) cut, so that would kind of feedback loop and make less people list on those app stores, which in turn makes them undesirable.
- red_trumpet 3y ago
  How would "charging for sideloading" work? If I publish an app on my website, I wouldn't have a contract with apple, right? Would they charge the user?
  - arlcode 3y ago
    They could try some shenanigans like requiring "certification" to side load anything and that would come with a contract. It would be struck down by the courts and version 2 of this regulation but for a few years it would be there. I'm hoping apple doesn't do that but at this point I think they'll try anything they can to protect their golden goose (aka app store) even from minor competition.
- jrockway 3y ago
  I'm not sure if the App Store is the amazing marketing tool that it's sold as. There are millions of apps, nobody is going to find yours. The biggest problem with Apple's revenue model is that they want the 30% for people that aren't really benefiting from the App Store. Spotify built their brand without Apple, and if you want their app, you just click the link they email you.
  - dwaite 3y ago
    Spotify both acquires new customers because of their iPhone app and directly _through_ their app via in-app purchases. That is the value that Apple intended to charge them for, and Spotify has continued to begrudgingly think that value is worth the headaches.
- anticensor 3y ago
  Depends on the friction imposed by the way 30% cut is implemented.
dwaite 3y ago
> And, then you get 30% more money for your business. It will be quite popular just for the cost savings. You are speaking of licensing agreements to get access to the Apple SDKs, not to distribution. These are different things. Side loading on its own does not mean an end to contractual agreements to give Apple a revenue cut.
- sofixa 3y ago
  > You are speaking of licensing agreements to get access to the Apple SDKs, not to distribution. These are different things. Side loading on its own does not mean an end to contractual agreements to give Apple a revenue cut. Isn't that what developers pay for to get access to?

WastingMyTime89 3y ago

Europe is a large enough market by itself. It’s slightly bigger than the US one.

neximo64 3y ago
No digital market has Europe as a larger market. When you substitute revenue for profit Europe is typically less than 10% or even less than 5% of profits if there are any for a company targeting electronic sales. The European customer is far more spend thrift.

Agingcoder 3y ago

if you’re nvidia and want to provide a proper cloud gaming app (not browser based, which has resolution limitations), it might be worth it. Apple’s conditions tend to be quite restrictive (which is why they’re having problems in the first place), so I somehow suspect there’s a rather large market, and the eu is very large anyway.