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Uber and Netflix both launched when apps could handle their own payments without fees though. Do you have an example from the more recent past?

by ajross 3y ago

twoodfin 3y ago
Ride-sharing (as a meatspace sale) never fell under Apple’s 30% IAP fee. And as I pointed out, Netflix was for a long time willing to pay a massive aggregate fee (though not 30%, terms of their deal with Apple have not been disclosed). Also, you may have heard something in the news recently about TikTok.
- ajross 3y ago
  Right, so Uber got grandfathered in (a startup unlocking a new style of market a-la Uber wouldn't get the same treatment for sure!), Netflix got a sweetheart deal because they were already dominant in the space, and the only new app you can cite is TikTok, an ad-supported service that until recently didn't sell anything at all. I don't see how this helps your case. Basically the only way to win on iOS with a new idea is to pay apple, or be big enough that Apple doesn't want to lose your customers. That's a complete non-starter for (heh) startups.
  - twoodfin 3y ago
    Uber didn’t get “grandfathered in”. From day 1 of IAP, Apple’s fee has only been required for digital goods. If you really need another example, see online sports betting. Now legal in most states, and Apple takes 0%.
deleted 3y ago
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gradschoolfail 3y ago
Would TikTok work as an example?
- amadeuspagel 3y ago
  TikTok started as Douyin in China, where almost everyone uses Android.
  - danpalmer 3y ago
    Arguably TikTok started as Musical.ly – that's where the popularity outside of China originated from, and ByteDance acquired them for the userbase because it was taking off. That said, it also started in China.
    - disgruntledphd2 3y ago
      I mean, the recommendation tech is pretty clearly ByteDance, and that's really (IMO) what drove TikTok's popularity, in a way that Musical.ly never really was.

Uber and Netflix both launched when apps could handle their own payments without fees though. Do you have an example from the more recent past?

by ajross 3y ago

Uber and Netflix both launched when apps could handle their own payments without fees though. Do you have an example from the more recent past?

twoodfin 3y ago

Ride-sharing (as a meatspace sale) never fell under Apple’s 30% IAP fee. And as I pointed out, Netflix was for a long time willing to pay a massive aggregate fee (though not 30%, terms of their deal with Apple have not been disclosed). Also, you may have heard something in the news recently about TikTok.

ajross 3y ago
Right, so Uber got grandfathered in (a startup unlocking a new style of market a-la Uber wouldn't get the same treatment for sure!), Netflix got a sweetheart deal because they were already dominant in the space, and the only new app you can cite is TikTok, an ad-supported service that until recently didn't sell anything at all. I don't see how this helps your case. Basically the only way to win on iOS with a new idea is to pay apple, or be big enough that Apple doesn't want to lose your customers. That's a complete non-starter for (heh) startups.
- twoodfin 3y ago
  Uber didn’t get “grandfathered in”. From day 1 of IAP, Apple’s fee has only been required for digital goods. If you really need another example, see online sports betting. Now legal in most states, and Apple takes 0%.

deleted 3y ago

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gradschoolfail 3y ago

Would TikTok work as an example?

amadeuspagel 3y ago
TikTok started as Douyin in China, where almost everyone uses Android.
- danpalmer 3y ago
  Arguably TikTok started as Musical.ly – that's where the popularity outside of China originated from, and ByteDance acquired them for the userbase because it was taking off. That said, it also started in China.
  - disgruntledphd2 3y ago
    I mean, the recommendation tech is pretty clearly ByteDance, and that's really (IMO) what drove TikTok's popularity, in a way that Musical.ly never really was.