[jw1224]

> Why does Apple need revenue from Basecamp (or any content provider)? They don't have any cost whatsoever associated with this content deliver

I see it partly as a response to the fact that the industry is moving from one-time purchases to subscription-billing. Apple were always able to make their cut from the one-off sale of a $34.99 premium application. Now that the app is available for a $2.99/month subscription from the developer, Apple have to recover the lost caused by the shift to subscription models somehow.

And they certainly do have costs associated with content delivery. There's the trivial costs (bandwidth, hosting, etc.), and the larger overheads associated with R&D, developer review, continually fighting security risks, and so on.

[JoeAltmaier]

Apple doesn't have to recover it, as a cost to something they don't have any part in.

They could take a cut of housing sales too, for all the sense that makes. I can see them in front of congress now: "But Apple isn't making the billions we once did! We neeeeed this money!"

Apple sells $25 phones for $1000. That's their business. Trying to make their business, taking a cut of other people's business, is egregious.