I will risk an avalanche of downvotes and steel man Apple's argument. :)
Have you ever gotten stuck with a monthly fee for something that's hard to cancel? It's a real pain the butt, no?
But that never really happens on Apple devices, because Apple makes it incredibly easy to cancel subscriptions. You don't have to call anyone, you don't have to struggle with a bad website -- you just click cancel on your phone and it's done. And it's all in one place too -- no bank statement required.
They are also a check on other dark patterns, like silently increasing charges without a clear notification to customers. I don't even get spammed because Apple proxies my emails from app developers.
One of the main reasons I buy things from Apple (on my device) and Amazon (if it's a physical good) is so that I have a company I sorta trust to do the right thing if things go sideways (cancelations, returns, fraud, etc.).
Once every app developer is pushing me to enter my credit card on their website, that all goes out the window. Dark patterns common on the web and on Android will take over the iOS ecosystem too.
I also am going to take an unpopular opinion and say that Apple probably earns that fee. The fact that Android isn't that valuable to app developers proves that Apple's reputation and standards are what drives a lot of their app store revenue. App devs feel like they're providing all the value, but I suspect it's often not truly the case. I know this is an unpopular opinion amongst us devs.
I don't even know if I truly buy these arguments, but I thought it'd be more interesting here if there was at least one comment defending Apple.
Personally, Android's ecosystem has never been compelling because of Google. Even barring their unrelenting focus on gobbling more of your data, they can't even keep their services on. Their graveyard is massive.
How many times has their default messages app changed? It's nuts. Being an Android developer seems like an exercise in frustration. I'm sure it happens on iOS to some degree but I've seen people online brag about never buying an Android app; piracy is rampant.
> Personally, Android's ecosystem has never been compelling because of Google. Even barring their unrelenting focus on gobbling more of your data, they can't even keep their services on. Their graveyard is massive.
Who cares? If you're developing for Android, you don't need to care about Google killing off Stadia.
> How many times has their default messages app changed? It's nuts. Being an Android developer seems like an exercise in frustration.
Again, who cares? I'm using the same messaging apps that I was using 10 years ago.
And it's not like Apple is any better. It has standardized on iMessage, but you can't do anything with it as a developer. It might as well not exist for you.
> It has standardized on iMessage, but you can't do anything with it as a developer. It might as well not exist for you.
Hey now, there are dozens of developers making apps for iMessage. Dozens!!
All kidding aside, there is actually quite some stuff you can do with iMessage, but other than the occasional runaway hit like Game Pigeon, not many devs are interested in pouring resources into it.
> Again, who cares? I'm using the same messaging apps that I was using 10 years ago.
One of my best friends who was using Allo. Or Duo. Or Hangouts. Or Meet. Or whatever. He really loved one of those apps and it got removed/changed/or something.
My point was that as a developer, I'd want to ensure users like the platform they're on enough to buy my app. This same friend? He moved to some launcher and just uses Discord and Element now. As I understand it, using a launcher prevents you from using the Google Play Store, so you're not buying apps.
> He moved to some launcher [...]. As I understand it, using a launcher prevents you from using the Google Play Store, so you're not buying apps.
I'm going to chalk it up to you not knowing about Android, but swapping launchers is basically changing your home menu, it doesn't affect Play Store access and you'll likely need it to buy the Pro version of certain launchers, the most common one being Nova Launcher Prime[0]. And if he did something more drastic, like changing to custom ROMs (akin to OS images), then Play Store access is up to him.
And honestly, I don't think Google free apps and services coming and going will impact app ownership numbers. Android being more popular in low income, developing countries (with big population numbers) will have a bigger impact overall.
It's not really any more funny than suggesting that Meta and Microsoft manipulate teenagers with dark patterns. But with Apple it's different, so I guess we won't be ready for that discussion until next time.
> Have you ever gotten stuck with a monthly fee for something that's hard to cancel? It's a real pain the butt, no?
Not at all, credit card charge-backs are easy. I don't need Apple at all.
In fact, Apple acting as the intermediary makes things worse, because if I wish to dispute/chargeback a payment with a particular app, I have to do that to Apple, which could have unrelated negative effects on my other purchases through them.
The problem with a chargeback is that it doesn’t actually cancel the service. You’re likely to see the same charge on your next month’s statement.
Now, as part of the chargeback process the merchant may cancel your subscription, but they’re also likely to ban you as a customer from ever using their services again.
> Now, as part of the chargeback process the merchant may cancel your subscription, but they’re also likely to ban you as a customer from ever using their services again.
If things have reached the point at which I'm doing a chargeback, I'm clearly not too concerned with, or interested in, remaining their customer.
> One of the main reasons I buy things from Apple (on my device) and Amazon (if it's a physical good)
You don't have a choice, from Apple. With Amazon you can buy your Purina and flip-flops off a third-party, but where else do you buy a calculator app for iPhone?
The problem with this steelman is that giving third-parties more options should change nothing for you. If you're ideologically opposed to anyone that doesn't use Apple's or Amazon's fulfillment system, it doesn't matter where the competitors are anyways. In a post-sideloading world you'd keep using Apple's App Store the same way millions of Android users never enable Developer Mode. Both sides get what they want.
There was a benefit to the consumer of the old no-sideloading world, specifically if it's possible to sideload an app then then companies can force you to do it.
"Hi, this is the company that owns your mortgage. You can now only pay through our app which you have to sideload because it's also a rootkit."
Why do consumers have the attitude "I will buy apple specifically to make you suffer through the apple app store approval process, and I don't give a shit if they take 30%?" The answer is 20 years of abominable behaviour by corporate app teams.
It's an interesting hypothetical, but not realistic in countries with loan regulation. Not to mention, NSO Group has shown us that you can install a rootkit using built-in iMessage and zero-click exploits. I don't think manually-installed malware would lower the current bar, especially considering how "dangerously" capable the phone and web browser already is. Arguing against anything that can be used against the user would see the phone, iPod and internet communicator removed from your iPhone.
> The answer is 20 years of abominable behaviour by corporate app teams.
I feel like you're not going to like my answer to "Why Apple is facing multinational antitrust scrutiny" then.
Have you ever gotten stuck with a monthly fee for something that's hard to cancel? It's a real pain the butt, no?
But that never really happens on Apple devices, because Apple makes it incredibly easy to cancel subscriptions. You don't have to call anyone, you don't have to struggle with a bad website -- you just click cancel on your phone and it's done. And it's all in one place too -- no bank statement required.
They are also a check on other dark patterns, like silently increasing charges without a clear notification to customers. I don't even get spammed because Apple proxies my emails from app developers.
One of the main reasons I buy things from Apple (on my device) and Amazon (if it's a physical good) is so that I have a company I sorta trust to do the right thing if things go sideways (cancelations, returns, fraud, etc.).
Once every app developer is pushing me to enter my credit card on their website, that all goes out the window. Dark patterns common on the web and on Android will take over the iOS ecosystem too.
I also am going to take an unpopular opinion and say that Apple probably earns that fee. The fact that Android isn't that valuable to app developers proves that Apple's reputation and standards are what drives a lot of their app store revenue. App devs feel like they're providing all the value, but I suspect it's often not truly the case. I know this is an unpopular opinion amongst us devs.
I don't even know if I truly buy these arguments, but I thought it'd be more interesting here if there was at least one comment defending Apple.