Apple's loosening of App Store fees lets Amazon enable purchases, rentals in Prime Video a...

Comments

• Reply 1 of 13

  neverindoubt Posts: 120member

  April 1, 2020 9:02PM

  https://twitter.com/modestproposal1/status/1245454329999503360?s=21

  
  

  Likely from a Bloomberg terminal:
  
  

  *APPLE SAYS HAS PROGRAM THAT LETS VIDEO APPS USE OWN PAYMENTS

  *APPLE SAYS HAS DEALS WITH AMAZON PRIME, ALTICE ONE, CANAL+

  *APPLE'S PROGRAM LETS SOME VIDEO APPS AVOID 30% CUT TO APPLE
• Reply 2 of 13

  rogifan_new Posts: 4,297member

  April 1, 2020 9:58PM

  Apple wants regulators off its back. I suspect Spotify and Netflix will get this treatment next. 

  
  

  Since Apple allows “reader “apps whats the difference between apps not offering IAP and being able to offer IAP using their own payment system? The fact that Netflix and Spotify removed IAP indicates they didn’t consider it detrimental to their business. I doubt there’s a large number of people not subscribing to those services because they don’t offer IAP. People just sign up on the web. Being able to do it in-app will be more convenient. I hope Apple does this for Kindle too.

  
• Reply 3 of 13

  crowley Posts: 10,453member

  April 1, 2020 10:08PM

  I'm glad Apple are relaxing this rule, but I wish they'd chosen to make it universal, or given preferential treatment to companies that are a bit less icky.

  
• Reply 4 of 13

  Beats Posts: 3,073member

  April 1, 2020 11:25PM

  Wait in order for them to get a fee reduction they have to support all Apple features? I'd say that's fair.

  
• Reply 5 of 13

  seanismorris Posts: 1,624member

  April 1, 2020 11:42PM

  This is a ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”.  Apple needed better integration with 3rd party Apps to make them comparable to Android (to push their platform).

  
  

  The Apps that offer the integration will get the 30% waved.  Pretty much everyone will eventually.  I’m sure there’s some kind of data sharing arrangement.
  
  The quote below shows what Apple is interested in.
  “These include integration with the Apple TV app, AirPlay 2 support, Siri support, tvOS apps, universal search, and where applicable, single or zero sign-on,"
  

  
• Reply 6 of 13

  Beats Posts: 3,073member

  April 2, 2020 12:31AM

  seanismorris said:

  This is a ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”.  Apple needed better integration with 3rd party Apps to make them comparable to Android (to push their platform).

  
  

  The Apps that offer the integration will get the 30% waved.  Pretty much everyone will eventually.  I’m sure there’s some kind of data sharing arrangement.
  
  The quote below shows what Apple is interested in.
  “These include integration with the Apple TV app, AirPlay 2 support, Siri support, tvOS apps, universal search, and where applicable, single or zero sign-on,"
  

  
  Except I bet Netflix will still make excuses while using Apples platforms.

  
• Reply 7 of 13

  chasm Posts: 3,291member

  April 2, 2020 5:04AM

  This is great news for users, and also for services not named in the article that might take advantage of it, including several I subscribe to (like Criterion Channel and Curiosity Stream). Most apps on tvOS have all or most of these features already by virtue of being on tvOS, with rare exceptions (looking at you, PlutoTV), so qualifying for this initiative should be pretty painless for many.
  
  Incidentally, Curiosity Stream (a non-fiction and documentary service) has cut their YEARLY subscription to $12 for a limited time -- I would like to think AI readers would be interested, and encourage you to check it out.

  
• Reply 8 of 13

  mike1 Posts: 3,279member

  April 2, 2020 12:30PM

  rogifan_new said:

  Apple wants regulators off its back. I suspect Spotify and Netflix will get this treatment next. 

  
  

  Since Apple allows “reader “apps whats the difference between apps not offering IAP and being able to offer IAP using their own payment system? The fact that Netflix and Spotify removed IAP indicates they didn’t consider it detrimental to their business. I doubt there’s a large number of people not subscribing to those services because they don’t offer IAP. People just sign up on the web. Being able to do it in-app will be more convenient. I hope Apple does this for Kindle too.

  
  Not sure if Netflix or Spotify would benefit. Netflix has nothing to purchase, once you've subscribed. Except maybe a subscription upgrade. Not as familiar with Spotify, not sure if they offer indivudual purchases or rentals for anything. I get why Prime and the cable companies trying sell on demand programs would want this.
  

  edited April 2020
• Reply 9 of 13

  rogifan_new Posts: 4,297member

  April 2, 2020 12:52PM

  mike1 said:

  rogifan_new said:

  Apple wants regulators off its back. I suspect Spotify and Netflix will get this treatment next. 

  
  

  Since Apple allows “reader “apps whats the difference between apps not offering IAP and being able to offer IAP using their own payment system? The fact that Netflix and Spotify removed IAP indicates they didn’t consider it detrimental to their business. I doubt there’s a large number of people not subscribing to those services because they don’t offer IAP. People just sign up on the web. Being able to do it in-app will be more convenient. I hope Apple does this for Kindle too.

  
  Not sure if Netflix or Spotify would benefit. Netflix has nothing to purchase, once you've subscribed. Except maybe a subscription upgrade. Not as familiar with Spotify, not sure if they offer indivudual purchases or rentals for anything. I get why Prime and the cable companies trying sell on demand programs would want this.
  

  My point is, Apple allows reader apps so they might as well allow those apps to offer IAP without giving Apple a cut.  What’s the difference to Apple if I buy a kindle book via Safari or via the kindle app? Or is Apple’s MO to make it less convenient for consumers so they’ll use/buy Apple’s version instead? 
• Reply 10 of 13

  mike1 Posts: 3,279member

  April 2, 2020 1:41PM

  rogifan_new said:

  mike1 said:

  rogifan_new said:

  Apple wants regulators off its back. I suspect Spotify and Netflix will get this treatment next. 

  
  

  Since Apple allows “reader “apps whats the difference between apps not offering IAP and being able to offer IAP using their own payment system? The fact that Netflix and Spotify removed IAP indicates they didn’t consider it detrimental to their business. I doubt there’s a large number of people not subscribing to those services because they don’t offer IAP. People just sign up on the web. Being able to do it in-app will be more convenient. I hope Apple does this for Kindle too.

  
  Not sure if Netflix or Spotify would benefit. Netflix has nothing to purchase, once you've subscribed. Except maybe a subscription upgrade. Not as familiar with Spotify, not sure if they offer indivudual purchases or rentals for anything. I get why Prime and the cable companies trying sell on demand programs would want this.
  

  My point is, Apple allows reader apps so they might as well allow those apps to offer IAP without giving Apple a cut.  What’s the difference to Apple if I buy a kindle book via Safari or via the kindle app? Or is Apple’s MO to make it less convenient for consumers so they’ll use/buy Apple’s version instead? 

  
  I don't disagree. I think it's a good thing. However, the benefit to Apple is more participants in Apple TV+ and I don't see any reason why this particular change would encourage Netflix to participate within Apple TV+. Currently, among the services I use a lot, they are the only outlier.
  

  
• Reply 11 of 13

  lkrupp Posts: 10,557member

  April 2, 2020 3:05PM

  rogifan_new said:

  mike1 said:

  rogifan_new said:

  Apple wants regulators off its back. I suspect Spotify and Netflix will get this treatment next. 

  
  

  Since Apple allows “reader “apps whats the difference between apps not offering IAP and being able to offer IAP using their own payment system? The fact that Netflix and Spotify removed IAP indicates they didn’t consider it detrimental to their business. I doubt there’s a large number of people not subscribing to those services because they don’t offer IAP. People just sign up on the web. Being able to do it in-app will be more convenient. I hope Apple does this for Kindle too.

  
  Not sure if Netflix or Spotify would benefit. Netflix has nothing to purchase, once you've subscribed. Except maybe a subscription upgrade. Not as familiar with Spotify, not sure if they offer indivudual purchases or rentals for anything. I get why Prime and the cable companies trying sell on demand programs would want this.
  

  My point is, Apple allows reader apps so they might as well allow those apps to offer IAP without giving Apple a cut.  What’s the difference to Apple if I buy a kindle book via Safari or via the kindle app? Or is Apple’s MO to make it less convenient for consumers so they’ll use/buy Apple’s version instead? 

  Why should Apple let other entities use its platform for free? So Apple is not allowed to charge for its services?

  
• Reply 12 of 13

  StrangeDays Posts: 12,871member

  April 2, 2020 10:56PM

  Gruber has excellent coverage on what happened here and why:
  
  https://daringfireball.net/2020/04/amazon_apple_prime_video
  

  
• Reply 13 of 13

  StrangeDays Posts: 12,871member

  April 3, 2020 1:28AM

  Not that it matters much — compare movie rental prices on new releases and they’re exactly the same. Probably required by the studios.