From some. I simply don’t care. To me, Apple are keeping my highly sensitive data (my phone is my bank card, address book, post box, todo list...) secure. I’m really grateful the tools and experience is consistently so good for so long. Whether I’m paying that 30% or the software devs are, I’m not really bothered. I want the high quality to continue. I accept that multiple app stores may improve things... but from what I hear, that’s not the case on Android.

I think we only have this discussion because of Apple’s market cap. Most others are envious. Sure, Apple have a lot of power, but they do a fairly good job of using it responsibly. The interactions with the Chinese government do desire further scrutiny, however.

I’m not a shareholder.

Android is a bad comparison, because they are basically an adware based product, and rightfully many people reject it as a serious tool for managing their personal information and communication. This actually makes Apple a monopolist.

I find that a fairly twisty perspective.

I agree Google are adware. I disagree that tales them out of the discussion of monopoly.

I also think the monopoly discussion and the 30% fees discussion are separate. This relates to my interpretation that the 30% covers “shelf space, distribution, And security”.

If the fee were 5% but nothing else changed, Apple might still have a monopoly.

If the fee were 5%, then Apple wouldn't be abusing its monopoly position.

The other poster is correct, the issue of the fee is orthogonal to the issue of app distribution. After all, even if the fee were 5%, Epic could still argue they want to put in their own store where the fee was 4%.

Why not?

There is no Apple tax. It's a fee.

"A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed upon a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures"

Apple is acting as a regulator. In that sense, a tax is not far from the truth.