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If it’s just Apple, then why aren’t developers leaving Google Play Services in droves to avoid the same 30% cut? And Microsoft did that not because they didn’t

If it’s just Apple, then why aren’t developers leaving Google Play Services in droves to avoid the same 30% cut? And Microsoft did that not because they didn’t want to be in the store, but because at the time Apple wouldn’t allow them. Yes I disagree with this. If PWAs could be made one to one with apps - and today games like Candy Crush could be web apps - game developers who make up 90% of App Store revenue still wouldn’t give up the direct access to users wallets they get from in app purchases.

int_19h 3y ago
If PWAs were on par with native feature-wise, why couldn't they have single-click in-app purchases? All you'd need is some large trusted platform to provide a single sign-on experience and process payments.
- scarface_74 3y ago
  Why do small merchants sell physical goods on Amazon today when they could sell on their own website with much lower selling costs? Even back before the App Store and there was just iTunes, Apple had more credit cards on file than anyone in the world except for Amazon. Read up on “Aggregation theory” by Ben Thompson. Also people have access to in app purchases that don’t have access to credit cards - like kids. Who is going to be that large trusted platform?
  - afavour 3y ago
    I don’t understand the argument you’re making. “No one wants to use the web because it lacks the centralized payment processing” “If PWAs were fully featured a third party could offer that” “Why do you think people sell on Amazon?” The last statement has little to do with the two preceding it. We all understand the strength of a centralized payment system. Amazon themselves already offer Amazon Payments. That could absolutely be an alternative to in-app purchases. Except Apple wouldn’t get their cut, so they don’t want that. The correct answer here is to let the market decide. If I’m willing to trade 15%/30% of my revenue for an easier purchasing flow I can do that. But if I’m willing to tolerate more friction for a lower cut I should be allowed to do that too. But App Store rules expressly forbid that. The web could be an alternative but Apple has a vested interest in under developing it.
    - scarface_74 3y ago
      Where hard to understand? You don’t have to sell on Amazon and deal with their commissions but people do. A news website doesn’t have to allow Google to crawl them since they complain that Google takes their ad revenues - yet they do. And Apple would get no cut if Candy Crush were on the web and even the cut they would get from using Apple Pay (not in app payments) are standard credit card payments. But kids who probably don’t have access to credit cards still can use in app payments along with people who don’t have credit cards at all who can use Apple gift cards. I gave up a reliable reference from a well known analyst about Aggregation Theory. Outside of the App Store, parents aren’t going to give their kids unfettered access to their credit cards compared to parental controls that are available within the App Store. If so many developers are in such a hurry to leave the OS providers App Store, then why don’t the same developers leave the Google Play store where it is allowed? How did that work for Epic with Android? The fact is that game developers - who make up 90% of App Store revenue according to data that came out during the Epic trial - complain about the 30% cut. But they want access not only to Apple’s customers but also to in app purchases so they can use every psychological trick to take advantage of the whales. Neither Google nor Apple care about the Indy developer and the little revenue they make. Are you fighting for the independent developer or the slimy pay to win game developers?
      - afavour 3y ago
        I think my previous comment was very clear: developers should get to choose. If they want to pay a high commission for easy payments they should be able to. If they want to introduce greater friction for a lower cut they should be allowed to do that too. Apple expressly forbids this in native apps. If the PWA platform were more viable it would offer this choice but it isn’t, an Apple has a vested interest in things staying that way. At the very same time they defend their restrictions upon native apps in court citing the web as an alternative platform. It’s very convenient.
        scarface_74 3y ago
        Okay, developers can choose on Android. Yet to a first approximation, all of them still use the Google Play Store, why is that? If it’s only mean old Apple stopping developers from using PWAs, then why do Android developers still use Google Play services instead of PWAs, alternate app stores or direct downloads? All of which are available? Candy Crush - still one of the most profitable games in the App Store is not graphic intensive and could be done on the web today and use Apple Pay (normal credit card charges), why don’t they?

int_19h 3y ago

If PWAs were on par with native feature-wise, why couldn't they have single-click in-app purchases? All you'd need is some large trusted platform to provide a single sign-on experience and process payments.

scarface_74 3y ago
Why do small merchants sell physical goods on Amazon today when they could sell on their own website with much lower selling costs? Even back before the App Store and there was just iTunes, Apple had more credit cards on file than anyone in the world except for Amazon. Read up on “Aggregation theory” by Ben Thompson. Also people have access to in app purchases that don’t have access to credit cards - like kids. Who is going to be that large trusted platform?
- afavour 3y ago
  I don’t understand the argument you’re making. “No one wants to use the web because it lacks the centralized payment processing” “If PWAs were fully featured a third party could offer that” “Why do you think people sell on Amazon?” The last statement has little to do with the two preceding it. We all understand the strength of a centralized payment system. Amazon themselves already offer Amazon Payments. That could absolutely be an alternative to in-app purchases. Except Apple wouldn’t get their cut, so they don’t want that. The correct answer here is to let the market decide. If I’m willing to trade 15%/30% of my revenue for an easier purchasing flow I can do that. But if I’m willing to tolerate more friction for a lower cut I should be allowed to do that too. But App Store rules expressly forbid that. The web could be an alternative but Apple has a vested interest in under developing it.
  - scarface_74 3y ago
    Where hard to understand? You don’t have to sell on Amazon and deal with their commissions but people do. A news website doesn’t have to allow Google to crawl them since they complain that Google takes their ad revenues - yet they do. And Apple would get no cut if Candy Crush were on the web and even the cut they would get from using Apple Pay (not in app payments) are standard credit card payments. But kids who probably don’t have access to credit cards still can use in app payments along with people who don’t have credit cards at all who can use Apple gift cards. I gave up a reliable reference from a well known analyst about Aggregation Theory. Outside of the App Store, parents aren’t going to give their kids unfettered access to their credit cards compared to parental controls that are available within the App Store. If so many developers are in such a hurry to leave the OS providers App Store, then why don’t the same developers leave the Google Play store where it is allowed? How did that work for Epic with Android? The fact is that game developers - who make up 90% of App Store revenue according to data that came out during the Epic trial - complain about the 30% cut. But they want access not only to Apple’s customers but also to in app purchases so they can use every psychological trick to take advantage of the whales. Neither Google nor Apple care about the Indy developer and the little revenue they make. Are you fighting for the independent developer or the slimy pay to win game developers?
    - afavour 3y ago
      I think my previous comment was very clear: developers should get to choose. If they want to pay a high commission for easy payments they should be able to. If they want to introduce greater friction for a lower cut they should be allowed to do that too. Apple expressly forbids this in native apps. If the PWA platform were more viable it would offer this choice but it isn’t, an Apple has a vested interest in things staying that way. At the very same time they defend their restrictions upon native apps in court citing the web as an alternative platform. It’s very convenient.
      - scarface_74 3y ago
        Okay, developers can choose on Android. Yet to a first approximation, all of them still use the Google Play Store, why is that? If it’s only mean old Apple stopping developers from using PWAs, then why do Android developers still use Google Play services instead of PWAs, alternate app stores or direct downloads? All of which are available? Candy Crush - still one of the most profitable games in the App Store is not graphic intensive and could be done on the web today and use Apple Pay (normal credit card charges), why don’t they?