Re Android:
* Android has the same 30% fee * Android controls the Play Store IAPs (dark patterns) almost identically to Apple
- Mobile dev of 3 years
How many times has their default messages app changed? It's nuts. Being an Android developer seems like an exercise in frustration. I'm sure it happens on iOS to some degree but I've seen people online brag about never buying an Android app; piracy is rampant.
We desperately need a third option.
Who cares? If you're developing for Android, you don't need to care about Google killing off Stadia.
> How many times has their default messages app changed? It's nuts. Being an Android developer seems like an exercise in frustration.
Again, who cares? I'm using the same messaging apps that I was using 10 years ago.
And it's not like Apple is any better. It has standardized on iMessage, but you can't do anything with it as a developer. It might as well not exist for you.
Hey now, there are dozens of developers making apps for iMessage. Dozens!!
All kidding aside, there is actually quite some stuff you can do with iMessage, but other than the occasional runaway hit like Game Pigeon, not many devs are interested in pouring resources into it.
One of my best friends who was using Allo. Or Duo. Or Hangouts. Or Meet. Or whatever. He really loved one of those apps and it got removed/changed/or something.
My point was that as a developer, I'd want to ensure users like the platform they're on enough to buy my app. This same friend? He moved to some launcher and just uses Discord and Element now. As I understand it, using a launcher prevents you from using the Google Play Store, so you're not buying apps.
EDIT: See also: https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/21/22538240/google-chat-allo...
I'm going to chalk it up to you not knowing about Android, but swapping launchers is basically changing your home menu, it doesn't affect Play Store access and you'll likely need it to buy the Pro version of certain launchers, the most common one being Nova Launcher Prime[0]. And if he did something more drastic, like changing to custom ROMs (akin to OS images), then Play Store access is up to him.
And honestly, I don't think Google free apps and services coming and going will impact app ownership numbers. Android being more popular in low income, developing countries (with big population numbers) will have a bigger impact overall.
[0] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoils...
Android is the number 1 platform in the world. Except in the US, where Apple is manipulating teens using "blue bubbles".
LOL WOW
You don't have a choice, from Apple. With Amazon you can buy your Purina and flip-flops off a third-party, but where else do you buy a calculator app for iPhone?
The problem with this steelman is that giving third-parties more options should change nothing for you. If you're ideologically opposed to anyone that doesn't use Apple's or Amazon's fulfillment system, it doesn't matter where the competitors are anyways. In a post-sideloading world you'd keep using Apple's App Store the same way millions of Android users never enable Developer Mode. Both sides get what they want.
"Hi, this is the company that owns your mortgage. You can now only pay through our app which you have to sideload because it's also a rootkit."
Why do consumers have the attitude "I will buy apple specifically to make you suffer through the apple app store approval process, and I don't give a shit if they take 30%?" The answer is 20 years of abominable behaviour by corporate app teams.
> The answer is 20 years of abominable behaviour by corporate app teams.
I feel like you're not going to like my answer to "Why Apple is facing multinational antitrust scrutiny" then.
Not at all, credit card charge-backs are easy. I don't need Apple at all.
In fact, Apple acting as the intermediary makes things worse, because if I wish to dispute/chargeback a payment with a particular app, I have to do that to Apple, which could have unrelated negative effects on my other purchases through them.
Now, as part of the chargeback process the merchant may cancel your subscription, but they’re also likely to ban you as a customer from ever using their services again.
If things have reached the point at which I'm doing a chargeback, I'm clearly not too concerned with, or interested in, remaining their customer.
Have you ever gotten stuck with a monthly fee for something that's hard to cancel? It's a real pain the butt, no?
But that never really happens on Apple devices, because Apple makes it incredibly easy to cancel subscriptions. You don't have to call anyone, you don't have to struggle with a bad website -- you just click cancel on your phone and it's done. And it's all in one place too -- no bank statement required.
They are also a check on other dark patterns, like silently increasing charges without a clear notification to customers. I don't even get spammed because Apple proxies my emails from app developers.
One of the main reasons I buy things from Apple (on my device) and Amazon (if it's a physical good) is so that I have a company I sorta trust to do the right thing if things go sideways (cancelations, returns, fraud, etc.).
Once every app developer is pushing me to enter my credit card on their website, that all goes out the window. Dark patterns common on the web and on Android will take over the iOS ecosystem too.
I also am going to take an unpopular opinion and say that Apple probably earns that fee. The fact that Android isn't that valuable to app developers proves that Apple's reputation and standards are what drives a lot of their app store revenue. App devs feel like they're providing all the value, but I suspect it's often not truly the case. I know this is an unpopular opinion amongst us devs.
I don't even know if I truly buy these arguments, but I thought it'd be more interesting here if there was at least one comment defending Apple.