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by FateOfNations 882 days ago
All of the developer tools and SDKs have value and are used regardless of distribution channel. Those haven't been free, they've just been included in the App Store commission structure. Developers pay for those based on the value they generate (i.e. revenue). If you want out of the App Store as a distribution channel, Apple still expects to be compensated for the value it's developer tools and platform is providing to developers, and the €0.50 per install fee is how they are choosing to charge for those services.
2 comments

Okay. So... charge more for the tools and SDK's. If you never launch an app or launch a completely free app, you still gotta pay apple. if those tools are more expensive, just push the cost where it belongs. Developers pay for being hosted on the app store on top of the tools and SDKs they access, it doesn't feel like a proper value to still be charged for that indirectly just because you don't want to be trapped in their walled garden.

>Apple still expects to be compensated for the value it's developer tools and platform is providing to developers, and the €0.50 per install fee is how they are choosing to charge for those services.

Well I wish them the best of luck in their future fights with the EU. Glad some government seems to not be thinking of the trillionaires first.

Developers pay for those when they pay for their dev license.

(if they don't, then what is it for?)

Previously the "developer licence" was $100/yr + an opaque revenue share that was bundled with distribution and payment processing services.

Based on their new alternative business terms, we can better describe what that bundled deal includes (which is still available):

• 15% tier (first $1mil/yr revenue and subscriptions after the first year):

- 10% distribution

- 2% developer platform

- 3% payment processing

• 30% tier (all other revenue):

- 17% distribution

- 10% developer platform

- 3% payment processing