[Talyen42]

Can someone explain to me why Apple's 30% tax is so different from every B&M retailer providing shelf space? I can't sell stuff in walmart without paying Walmart

"But you can't sell apps on iOS outside the app store"

I can't sell stuff on ANY platform/device without the permission of the platform/device maker. I also can't create my own platform within another platform, without permission of that platform. I can't open an Amazon store and ask Amazon to list or fulfill my goods but not charge me a fee.

Monopoly argument? with like 20-30% global user share? C'mon now

[lostgame]

>> I can't sell stuff on ANY platform/device without the permission of the platform/device maker.

This is kind of pedantic. There’s a massive difference between the kinds of restrictions Apple is placing on you, vs. your ability to grab a copy of Visual Studio Community for free, write an app for Windows, and sell it on your web site.

If I make a game in Unity, besides incredibly minor changes, I write my code and game once, hit a button, and get the same result for many platforms.

However, virtually the same product on Apple’s iOS platform vs. others, nets me 30% less profit per sale, simply because we aren’t allowed to side load apps without paying Apple $99/year and those apps needing to be open source.

People aren’t arguing Apple has a monopoly over mobile software, they’re pointing out the fact that due to a lack of side loading Apple has a monopoly on iOS software, which is obviously true. It is the principle of not really owning your device and freedom of use issues that have made even the EU start an investigation.

[Talyen42]

the only reason I recommend iphones to family members is because they are closed platforms, why are we trying to take away that option, a valid option to want to exist in an open marketplace, to make sure developers get more cash?

there's no inherent reason all platforms must allow arbitrary code to be executed, that's a very draconian rule to impose on the software world (ironically)

[ngngngng]

I can install anything I want from any platform/device maker on my Windows computer, my Android phone, my Macbook, and my Linux laptop. Apple phones are the outlier here.

[threeseed]

a) Phone is not considered by most people to be a computer.

b) I can't install anything I want on my PS4, Switch, Tesla, Shopify store etc.

So actually Apple isn't the outlier at all.

[babypuncher]

But you don't have to buy an Apple phone.

[Talyen42]

yeah, I get that, and the only reason I picked an iphone for my grandpa is because it's a curated closed platform. i'm glad it exists as an option, and it's not the most popular one, but it seems insane to make it illegal to create a closed software platform