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Well, as a consumer, instead of having to switch your entire phone if you don't like the way apps are billed, you'll now be able to switch apps if you don't lik

Well, as a consumer, instead of having to switch your entire phone if you don't like the way apps are billed, you'll now be able to switch apps if you don't like how that specific app handles billing. Some things like Netflix and Amazon were already this way, even on Apple devices. As a product person myself, I would hope that the net result is that we would be allowed to offer both: that we could have a fast friction free purchase via iOS/GPlay and pay the toll, but present the option to pay us directly if the user wants to support us more, or offer lower prices when the transaction is via a provider that takes 3% instead of 30%. I find that to be much more likely. Friction is a real thing in subscription services, and that isn't changing just because the OS vendors might not be able to force apps to use the platform IAP system anymore.

maccard 3y ago
> you'll now be able to switch apps if you don't like how that specific app handles billing. I think you mean "you'll now have to use the developers preferred app for billing".
- rezonant 3y ago
  Well no, my point is if the developers preferred app for billing isn't what you want, you can more easily find another app. Before all of this you had no choice if you didn't like, for instance, giving your credit card information to Google, or if you wanted more of your money to support the app you were using. I'm not saying some huge percentage of the population will care about the 30%, but as app developers we would be empowered to explain it, if we thought it was worth it. As I mentioned, I think high quality apps will overwhelmingly still offer a convenient way to pay using IAP, because the friction cost of adding a new subscriber is high when everyone has their CC in their store. And probably that will come with lower prices for those who are willing to punch in a credit card onto a form. I do think it's still well within the rights of Apple and Google to expect certain security practices from these billing solutions, and I expect that will replace the time reviewers currently spend looking for where the app dev tries to do off platform billing today.
  - maccard 3y ago
    > As I mentioned, I think high quality apps will overwhelmingly still offer a convenient way to pay using IAP, Really? right now, to rent a video on Prime on android, you have to switch to a web browser. Netflix doesn't let you sign up in app. Epic decide to sue Apple and Google to avoid paying the IAP fees. All the signs point to major players being willing to circumvent the app store for > Before all of this you had no choice if you didn't like, for instance, giving your credit card information to Google, or if you wanted more of your money to support the app you were using Sure you do, sign up outside the app like Netflix and co provide support for. In fact, if you go look at other aplications taht offer payment outside of the app store, you can likely already do that. Calm, for example offers a discount if you punch your details into the form online. Here's an example of exactly what's going to happen - I live outside the US and I signed up for NYT Cooking on their website. In order to cancel it, I have to _phone_ them to cancel. This will not give customers "more choice", this will allow Billion dollar companies like Epic, Meta, Netflix to run their own app stores and force you to download from there instead.
- bdd8f1df777b 3y ago
  Maybe the law should be mandating at least 3 payment options for any app. And let users make the decision.
  - maccard 3y ago
    I think sign in with apple id the right approach - if you offer sign in on an iOS app one of the options must be with apple. If we applied the same to payment processing, it would be fine, but I suspect we'd see app store fees as "freemium" apps wouls distribute on the app store, use it for updates, marketing, presence, and then dissuade customers from paying via the app channels

maccard 3y ago

> you'll now be able to switch apps if you don't like how that specific app handles billing. I think you mean "you'll now have to use the developers preferred app for billing".

rezonant 3y ago
Well no, my point is if the developers preferred app for billing isn't what you want, you can more easily find another app. Before all of this you had no choice if you didn't like, for instance, giving your credit card information to Google, or if you wanted more of your money to support the app you were using. I'm not saying some huge percentage of the population will care about the 30%, but as app developers we would be empowered to explain it, if we thought it was worth it. As I mentioned, I think high quality apps will overwhelmingly still offer a convenient way to pay using IAP, because the friction cost of adding a new subscriber is high when everyone has their CC in their store. And probably that will come with lower prices for those who are willing to punch in a credit card onto a form. I do think it's still well within the rights of Apple and Google to expect certain security practices from these billing solutions, and I expect that will replace the time reviewers currently spend looking for where the app dev tries to do off platform billing today.
- maccard 3y ago
  > As I mentioned, I think high quality apps will overwhelmingly still offer a convenient way to pay using IAP, Really? right now, to rent a video on Prime on android, you have to switch to a web browser. Netflix doesn't let you sign up in app. Epic decide to sue Apple and Google to avoid paying the IAP fees. All the signs point to major players being willing to circumvent the app store for > Before all of this you had no choice if you didn't like, for instance, giving your credit card information to Google, or if you wanted more of your money to support the app you were using Sure you do, sign up outside the app like Netflix and co provide support for. In fact, if you go look at other aplications taht offer payment outside of the app store, you can likely already do that. Calm, for example offers a discount if you punch your details into the form online. Here's an example of exactly what's going to happen - I live outside the US and I signed up for NYT Cooking on their website. In order to cancel it, I have to _phone_ them to cancel. This will not give customers "more choice", this will allow Billion dollar companies like Epic, Meta, Netflix to run their own app stores and force you to download from there instead.
bdd8f1df777b 3y ago
Maybe the law should be mandating at least 3 payment options for any app. And let users make the decision.
- maccard 3y ago
  I think sign in with apple id the right approach - if you offer sign in on an iOS app one of the options must be with apple. If we applied the same to payment processing, it would be fine, but I suspect we'd see app store fees as "freemium" apps wouls distribute on the app store, use it for updates, marketing, presence, and then dissuade customers from paying via the app channels