[atanasb]

My personal take on this:

Q: why do they use a screenshot with a typo.

A: Maybe to bring attention to the font? To the letters that are missing or those that are present? Maybe just because they can.

Q: Why are all these companies designing their own fonts. It's not needed...

A: Many reasons. It can be cheaper than licensing other fonts. It makes their apps (and brand) stand out. Or people might find it more aesthetically pleasing. The perceived `need` for it, has nothing to do with whether or not you need it for their app/website to function properly. And maybe `jarring` is exactly what they want.

[rhizome]

It can be cheaper than licensing other fonts

Can it? How many people-hours went into this, and which fonts have higher licensing costs than that?

[jrs95]

It's definitely not cheaper than using free fonts. Or even modifying an existing one -- it's not as if Airbnb's exclusive use of this font is going to benefit them in any measurable way. Even if that were necessary, it seems like they should have just paid Netflix to use their font, and maybe make some changes, rather than working with Dalton Maag to make damn near the same thing.

[rhizome]

I mean, what's the most expensive commercial font license? Neue Helvetica is $350/yr/cpu.

[notatoad]

Does a per-cpu licence allow you to use the font in all your publications?

[rhizome]

I don't know the details of Linotype GmbH's licensing agreements, but my point was that this route is surely less expensive than commissioning a new font.

[janc_]

I am certain they don't want to pay that per mobile CPU it runs on…

But usually web & (mobile) app licensing is separate from designer workstation licensing.

[rootlocus]

> Q: Why are all these companies designing their own fonts. It's not needed...

It's marketing.