Dev tools were often paid, true, but not necessarily to the OS vendor.

What Apple has done here is bring the console gaming model to general-purpose computing devices. I believe the EU wishes to roll that back and will probably not allow Apple's announced fees and restrictions.

And Apple already charges for those through their $100 annual developer program fee. They can't just make up arguments about how that's not really for developer tools because it happens to suit their agenda.

Quote from their own website:

> By enrolling in the Apple Developer Program, individuals and organizations receive everything they need to develop apps for distribution.

“To develop apps for distribution.” It doesn’t say the fee covers distribution - only development.

Apple won't be the one distributing them, alternative app stores are, that's the point.

Besides, Apple never claimed their new fee was for distribution, but for "core platform services", i.e. the SDK and tools, which they're already charging for.

Where do they say ‘core platform service’ are the SDK and tools? I think you’re just making that up.

Here: https://developer.apple.com/support/core-technology-fee/

> The Core Technology Fee (CTF) is an element of the new business terms in the European Union (EU) that reflects the value Apple provides developers through ongoing investments in the tools, technologies, and services that enable them to build and share innovative apps with users around the world.

"Core platform services" is the term used by the EU.

I think you’ve shown the flaw in your own reasoning then. “Ongoing investments in tools, technologies, and services…”

It’s not just the SDK.

Is that supposed to be a gotcha? Yes, there's ongoing investment, that's why developers have to pay an ongoing, annual fee.