Tesla's Elon Musk backs Epic, calls App Store fees a 'de facto global tax'

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2021
Elon Musk has come out on the side of Epic Games, and declared in a pair of tweets that Apple's App Store is effectively taxing the internet.

Tesla's Elon Musk
Tesla's Elon Musk


Following claims that Tim Cook rejected his bid to become Apple CEO -- and allegedly did so with a profanity-laden tirade -- Tesla's Elon Musk has now tweeted his support for Apple's rival, Epic Games.

Apple app store fees are a de facto global tax on the Internet. Epic is right.

-- Elon Musk (@elonmusk)


Musk is referring to the trial earlier in 2021 between Epic Games, the developer of "Fortnite," and Apple. Epic claimed that Apple forced it off the App Store, where Apple argued that Epic itself revealed it had planned to be removed and begin legal proceedings.

It is already a long and drawn-out saga, and is not likely to be resolved soon. However, the case has also become a lightning rod for multiple and international accusations of anticompetitive actions by Apple with the App Store.

Musk expanded on his take in a follow-up tweet.

"Normally, competitive pressure would force Apple to lower fees, but Apple & Android have a duopoly on phones. When interface familiarity is taken into account, it's basically a monopoly," Musk said. "The effective 30% sales tax Apple charges is hidden from users or there would be an outcry."

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    crossladcrosslad Posts: 527member
    But hypocritical coming from someone who made a fortune with PayPal.
    BeatsdewmegenovellekillroypulseimagesmattinozStrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 2 of 44
    foregoneconclusionforegoneconclusion Posts: 2,981member
    That's a rather ridiculous Hail Mary by Musk. Apple literally recommends companies sell to customers via the internet if they don't want to pay Apple a commission. Netflix went that route per subscriptions. So did Spotify. Amazon went that route for ebooks sales. And...Epic went that route per V-Bucks. The idea that Apple is taxing the internet has no basis in reality. 
    Beatsaderutterbaconstanghlee1169dewmepichaelviclauyycgenovellekillroysteps
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  • Reply 3 of 44
    ikirikir Posts: 130member
    What a no sense. should Apple host servers, manage payments, manage db? Maybe they. Should provide free iCloud space? Apple now takes less than others, so why not attacking Microsoft, Sony?
    Beatsviclauyyckillroywatto_cobra
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  • Reply 4 of 44
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    Because no business that creates a store that has customers that vendors want to sell to should be allowed to make a profit. 
    foregoneconclusionBeatswilliamlondonCuJoYYCbaconstangbyronlhlee1169dewmeviclauyyckillroy
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  • Reply 5 of 44
    Beatsbeats Posts: 3,073member
    What an a**hole. What’s the agenda here? I lost half the respect I had for Elon.
    killroydk49watto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 6 of 44
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,163member
    So, when Tesla opens up the Supercharger network, they won't charge extra when I plug in my Bolt*?

    And Telsa will let me install other company's software? And let me buy repair parts like other car makers?

    *not that I would need to - it's a city car, and there are plenty of other options!
    edited July 2021
    CuJoYYCbyronldewmekillroydk49Beatswatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 7 of 44
    CuJoYYCcujoyyc Posts: 87member
    Lifelong grifter says what?
    sconosciutowatto_cobra
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  • Reply 8 of 44
    jumpingcocojumpingcoco Posts: 104member
    This guy must have some insider news that Apple’s car project would be a powerful competitor with Tesla’s
    edited July 2021
    bakerzdosenaderutterbaconstangdewmepichaelkillroydk49davBeatswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 9 of 44
    MicDorseymicdorsey Posts: 100member
    Huh? How long have I been asleep? Are software makers now required to go through the App Store?
    baconstangStrangeDayswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 10 of 44
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,161member
    Perhaps Musk is getting senile at his age?  I lost tracks of the number of articles complaining about Tesla's heavy-handed approach to how it essentially rips-off consumers with licensing Tesla features and killing features when a car is sold in the used market.

    Maybe Musk should be forced to allow other companies to provide "features" to its cars outside of what Tesla provides.  Why should Tesla be the only way to install additional functionality?  I think other companies could provide features at much lower prices!  Cuz... "Competition" right?

    Musk is losing a lot of respect in my book.  He should just stick to making cars and rockets instead of telling other companies how to make their products.
    OferbaconstangpichaelgenovellekillroyStrangeDaysBeatswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 11 of 44
    bakerzdosenbakerzdosen Posts: 188member
    jumpingcoco said:
    This guy must have some insider news that Apple’s car project would be a powerful competitor with Tesla’s
    This statement might just be crazy enough to be true...
    Oferdewmepichaelkillroylkruppwatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 12 of 44
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,270member
    Tesla is still worth about 6% of today’s value.
    Oferwilliamlondoncrossladwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 13 of 44
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,581member
    All these companies would kill to have the ecosystem Apple has built. Instead of innovating they want to see Apple brought down to their level of success so they don't look bad. Apple's ecosystem promotes user confidence to buy things from Apple, competitors would love to see that fail.
    baconstanghlee1169pichaelcrossladwatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 14 of 44
    patchythepiratepatchythepirate Posts: 1,254member
    Elon clearly knows this is a ridiculous statement, but he sent it anyway, which just comes off as petty. Not a good look for Elon. He should stick to making great cars and fear mongering about how trace amounts of gaseous plant fertilizer is somehow bad for the planet.
    Beatswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 15 of 44
    AniMillanimill Posts: 193member
    Says the guy who charges $1000/mo for AutoDrive people already paid for…
    StrangeDaysBeatswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 16 of 44
    goodbyeranchgoodbyeranch Posts: 254member
    Cool Cant wait to push my apps to the Tesla dashboard for free.
    edited July 2021
    pichaelbaconstangStrangeDaysBeatswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 17 of 44
    Japheyjaphey Posts: 1,773member
    The whole internet? Really? Global?
    I’d love some evidence for how my brother, an avowed Android user, is somehow paying this “de facto” tax. 

    …..

    hlee1169pichaelbaconstangBeatswatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 18 of 44
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    So our options are to be taken into space by a brat with tantrum issues or a creep who likes to dip his pen in company ink.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 19 of 44
    byronlbyronl Posts: 384member
    lmao i love tesla but apple and tesla are more similar than elon likes to admit. they’re both very anti right to repair
    lkruppwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 20 of 44
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    Say the man who managed to make electricity proprietary.
    dewmeStrangeDayswatto_cobra
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