Yes, Apple make money by taxing software, not selling software directly. There is a long list of complaints by Apple software developers about the lack of marketing support that they receive from Apple, in return for the 30% tax that is yielding the app store revenue cited above. Apple can enforce iOS ISV tax because of hardware control.

From that article, the top 10 mobile "apps" by revenue can be mapped to the modern equivalent of TV, radio and telecom services. None of these are creative software apps like those from large ISVs on desktops/laptops. Instead we have many mobile ISVs who are not very profitable.

Way to change the subject!

Read what you wrote (in the context of the current discussion). Desktop software is alive and well. I don't like the size of the Apple Tax any more than you do, but to suggest this market doesn't exist is laughable.

Was your link about desktop app store or mobile app store revenue? I was differentiating between:

  - pre-app-store (side loaded / direct download) desktop revenue on Windows and Mac
  - "app store" desktop revenue on Windows and Mac

The former is subject to software piracy. The latter enforces software licensing but has a huge tax and poor marketing support. Nevertheless, Windows (on desktop) is following Apple's lead (on mobile) with app store business models.

Where the 30% tax exists in a distribution model, there are few successful ISVs that use only that distribution model. Where sideloading remains on Mac/Windows desktop, there are successful ISVs even with software piracy. On iOS, there is no alternative to the software distribution tax. Developers have been given an artificial choice between software piracy and 30% tax.

Both mobile and desktop ISV software revenue could be improved by app stores that enforced software licensing and provided optional marketing services that added up to 30%. Over time, the relative uptake of those optional services would lead to developer-oriented capabilities in app stores, i.e. serving the needs of the people paying the 30% tax.

You're right - that was the top result for "Apple Mac App Store Revenue", but I didn't read the content carefully enough.