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A percentage-based fee on services like this is criminal. Spotify's value, and the actual stuff people pay for, is music streaming from Spotify towards consume

A percentage-based fee on services like this is criminal. Spotify's value, and the actual stuff people pay for, is music streaming from Spotify towards consumers. Apple nor the app store plays any part in this. Apple faces exactly zero costs to enable the actual streaming of value itself, yet just grabs 30% of it. A flat fee to cover the cost of running an app store? Fine, and fair. Robbing businesses of enormous segments of their revenue: criminal.

sneak 3y ago
If they can charge a flat fee, they can censor arbitrarily, like Tumblr, or Fortnite. There should not be any organization that gets to overrule your own wishes about what software you wish to install on your phone. That’s turnkey tyranny because all it takes then is a law (or EO) that compels Apple to censor secure encrypted messaging apps. They already strongarmed them into backdooring iMessage so that it’s not e2ee and Apple and the FBI can easily read all iMessages due to key escrow in (the non-e2ee) iCloud Backup.
- noitpmeder 3y ago
  I agree in principle but also think apple should be able to remain in control of their own store. However, they should be forced to let others provide alternative stores.
eek2121 3y ago
Ooh, sorry, but I have to chime in on this. Percentage based pricing is the norm for any transaction for any amount. 30-50% is typically the retailers take. This also applies to claimed "low margin" PC hardware, games, etc. Manufacturing/distribution (including principles like LEAN, etc.) is something I could honestly write a book about...a book that would sell poorly. However, I've seen the invoices, have been good friends with the right people, etc. At the end of the day, a manufacturer targets 3x costs to account for distributor + retailer. Depending on size, the retailer will buy from a distributor (in most cases) or a manufacturer. Distributors in terms of the above actually DO have super slim margins because they are simply middle-man. They only exist to ship the product to smaller companies.
mercenario 3y ago
> Apple nor the app store plays any part in this. Apple faces exactly zero costs to enable the actual streaming of value itself, yet just grabs 30% of it. It they don't play any part, just get out of Apple ecosystem. Or why don't spotify then develop a smartphone and put it in the hands of billions of people and them distribute its app there. This is the easy part, right?

sneak 3y ago

If they can charge a flat fee, they can censor arbitrarily, like Tumblr, or Fortnite. There should not be any organization that gets to overrule your own wishes about what software you wish to install on your phone. That’s turnkey tyranny because all it takes then is a law (or EO) that compels Apple to censor secure encrypted messaging apps. They already strongarmed them into backdooring iMessage so that it’s not e2ee and Apple and the FBI can easily read all iMessages due to key escrow in (the non-e2ee) iCloud Backup.

noitpmeder 3y ago
I agree in principle but also think apple should be able to remain in control of their own store. However, they should be forced to let others provide alternative stores.

eek2121 3y ago

Ooh, sorry, but I have to chime in on this. Percentage based pricing is the norm for any transaction for any amount. 30-50% is typically the retailers take. This also applies to claimed "low margin" PC hardware, games, etc. Manufacturing/distribution (including principles like LEAN, etc.) is something I could honestly write a book about...a book that would sell poorly. However, I've seen the invoices, have been good friends with the right people, etc. At the end of the day, a manufacturer targets 3x costs to account for distributor + retailer. Depending on size, the retailer will buy from a distributor (in most cases) or a manufacturer. Distributors in terms of the above actually DO have super slim margins because they are simply middle-man. They only exist to ship the product to smaller companies.

mercenario 3y ago

> Apple nor the app store plays any part in this. Apple faces exactly zero costs to enable the actual streaming of value itself, yet just grabs 30% of it. It they don't play any part, just get out of Apple ecosystem. Or why don't spotify then develop a smartphone and put it in the hands of billions of people and them distribute its app there. This is the easy part, right?