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As a largely outside observer, the arguments feel extremely disingenuous to me, the equivalent to cheating taxes by moving corporations "off-shore" while its re
by jiggawatts 3y ago
As a largely outside observer, the arguments feel extremely disingenuous to me, the equivalent to cheating taxes by moving corporations "off-shore" while its real activities remain on-shore.
In other words, companies like to take advantage of all of the benefits purchased with taxes such as enforcement of copyright, the court systems, police, an educated workforce, etc... but not actually pay any taxes themselves.
To translate the headline: "Coming to grips with the government's unshakable sense of entitlement to taxation."
As an iPhone user, I'm happy to pay a 30% tax to avoid the relentless scamming, outright malware, and impossible-to-cancel subscriptions in every other software market out there that isn't similarly controlled. I'm happy to pay this in the same way I'm happy to pay my taxes so that I can live in a civilized society.
No matter how innocent everyone demanding this change claims to be, the inevitable outcome will be this loophole being abused mercilessly by everyone to avoid the rules and restrictions of the Apple Store. No more easy cancellations. Unclear terms. Personal data collection and onselling of that data in bulk to anyone with a checkbook. Etc...
- fnimick 3y ago> As an iPhone user, I'm happy to pay a 30% tax to avoid the relentless scamming, outright malware, and impossible-to-cancel subscriptions in every other software market out there that isn't similarly controlled. I'm happy to pay this in the same way I'm happy to pay my taxes so that I can live in a civilized society. In that case, Apple should allow in-app purchases to be priced 30% higher, rather than mandating equivalent pricing to other platforms across the board.
- jiggawatts 3y agoIn Australia, stores must show the final price including taxes. Vendors are not allowed to advertise one price and then charge another, higher one, at the checkout. If Apple allowed this, then the inevitable result will be for every subscription purchase in-app to have the following blurb: “Go to our web store for 30% off!” What they most definitely, for sure, absolutely will not include is the rest of what that should say, which is: “Outside of the oversight of Apple, where we will be free to trick you, scam you, sell your info, and make it nigh impossible to unsubscribe.” Speaking of which, that reminds me: I have to call my bank to reverse charges on what I thought of was a one time payment to a website that magically auto renews itself quarterly (not monthly, that I would notice more easily!). Oh, and that quarterly cadence means that Mastercard disputes won’t go through either because it’s too far in the past. Awesome. I can’t wait for this to be the new normal for iPhone apps.
- fnimick 3y agoThis wouldn't be a problem, since you're willing to pay that 30% higher rate and all, right?