Apple, Epic, and the App Store

Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by wmf on Monday August 17, 2020 @01:30PM (#24189469)

Partly because they can but also to prevent developers from gaming the system. Imagine a free app with an IAP to unlock features but Apple only takes 5% from the IAP.

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by kentonv on Monday August 17, 2020 @01:48PM (#24189740)

So they should take 5% of regular app purchases, too. Problem solved.

Would hardly even create a dent in Apple's revenue and they apparently don't know what to do with the money anyway except put it in a giant pile, so no loss for society.

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by lilyball on Monday August 17, 2020 @01:34PM (#24189531)

Exactly this. If IAP was a different cut, all apps would go "free" overnight and require an IAP purchase to unlock most of the app.

Apple could try something like giving "consumable" IAP a different cut, but I'm sure devs would still try to game that too (e.g. having a consumable that unlocks the app for a set amount of time, rather than a permanent unlock).

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by wmf on Monday August 17, 2020 @01:39PM (#24189598)

BTW if Apple is protecting customers so much they should ban consumable IAPs because they're being used to drain money from people via addiction.

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by scarface74 on Monday August 17, 2020 @08:20PM (#24193904)

I really wish they would. I would be okay if games had to all be paid up front and there was upgrade pricing.

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by lilyball on Monday August 17, 2020 @02:12PM (#24190017)

Consumables are used for more than just freemium games.

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Re:Apple, Epic, and the App Store by rstupek on Monday August 17, 2020 @03:40PM (#24191051)

Most apps are free already and use ads to generate revenue of which Apple gets $0.

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