James, Here's a comment I posted on a similar article a few days back where I attempted to place Apple's policies in perspective with competitors like Amazon which might be interesting to some. While I agree that Apple's flat 30% commission doesn't work for some business models (ie that of middlemen such as Amazon, WalMart or Vudu), it is fantastic for the authors, developers, content creators themselves who can now sell their products directly to the public far more easily. Note also that Apple is quite happy for Amazon, Walmart, Vudu and others to keep their native apps on iOS without an easy subscription link if they don't want to pay Apple the 30% commission:
Amazon for example is actually more of a greedy, robber-barron of a walled garden in their own way than Apple. After all, it was Amazon who charged a 70% commission from authors to publish on the Kindle until Apple came along and did the unthinkable setting 30% as the new benchmark which forced Amazon to drop their extortionate rate. Likewise, does Amazon allow competing ebook apps on the Kindle? No, it is Apple who is more than happy to host hundreds of ebook readers and apps such as the Nook, Stanza (until Amazon bought and killed that marvellous product) and dozens of other smaller publishers as well as the Kindle. However, Apple is all about cutting out the middleman and are delighted to allow authors to self-publish and take 70% of the profits if they make use of Apple's in-app purchase architecture or 100% if they are willing to force consumers to jump thru hoops at their own website. The low barrier and convenience that Apple's in-app purchases provide end-users will keep native apps far more profitable than web apps have ever been even with Apple's quite legitimate commission. -Mart On 16/08/2011, at 8:04 AM, James / Hans Kunz wrote: > just an interesting comment: > > Earlier this year, Apple changed its policies to require all iOS apps > offering subscription services to share 30 percent of that revenue with > Apple. The response has been a revolt. Companies like Walmart and Amazon are > building HTML5 Web apps that are optimized to work on the iPhone and the iPad > instead of offering their wares through a native iOS apps. > > A side benefit for consumers and app developers is that these apps will also > work on other devices—desktops, laptops, and competing smartphones and > tablets. Time will tell what impact this change will have on Apple's success > as a company. > > View article > > > James > > > SAD Technic > U3 6 Chalkley Pl > Bayswater WA > Australia > +618 9370 5307 > mob 0414 421132 (international +614 14421132) > sad...@iinet.net.au > http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~saddas/ > > Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties > disappear and obstacles vanish. > > > > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
