“We don’t intend to make any money off the App Store,” Jobs said. “We’re basically giving all the money to the developers and the 30 percent that pays for running the store, that’ll be great.”Although the case could be made that distributing and billing for content purchases and subscriptions is just as infrastructure-intensive as app purchases, the crackdown on alternative purchasing mechanisms definitely puts Jobs' original claim in the Reality Distortion Field category.
In addition, publishers may no longer provide links in their apps (to a web site, for example) which allow the customer to purchase content or subscriptions outside of the app.I can't think of any way to read that which doesn't mean "If apps have a button that links to a web page for purchasing, that button must be removed".
"We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase."If "The Kindle App" doesn't offer any purchasing options, doesn't have a link to the web store, and so on, then "The App" wouldn't be offering anything other than access to existing data. I'm not saying that will be the final verdict, but I read the spokeswoman's response (dated almost two weeks ago, mind you -- before the actual terms of service were posted) as clarifying what apps themselves could explicitly link to.
Publishers who use Apple’s subscription service in their app can also leverage other methods for acquiring digital subscribers outside of the app. Publishers can sell digital subscriptions on their web sites, or can choose to provide free access to existing subscribers. Since Apple is not involved in these transactions, there is no revenue sharing or exchange of customer information with Apple. Publishers must provide their own authentication process inside the app for subscribers that have signed up outside of the app. However, Apple does require that if a publisher chooses to sell a digital subscription separately outside of the app, that same subscription offer must be made available, at the same price or less, to customers who wish to subscribe from within the app. In addition, publishers may no longer provide links in their apps (to a web site, for example) which allow the customer to purchase content or subscriptions outside of the app.That seems pretty clear. Publishers and other app providers are allowed to do whatever they'd like to do, but they may not provide or link to non-Apple purchasing mechanisms from within the app itself.
Apple’s newly announced subscriptions policy for App Store offerings has triggered a round of griping from companies that sell content or subscriptions from their mobile apps. But a closer look at Apple’s new rates and terms suggest that the company’s policy isn’t that different from what rival services offer—and in some cases, Apple’s terms are more favorable.posted by chunking express at 2:17 PM on February 16, 2011
Speaking rather frankly on IRC, Last.fm's co-founder Richard Jones has condemned Apple's move to grab 30% of content-based subscription fees: "Apple just f***** over online music subs for the iPhone."If they're going to clarify they'd better do it post-haste.
Jones' apoplectic outburst is just one of many, too. Rhapsody yesterday said it won't bow to Apple's subscription policy, and CEO of on-demand music streamer we7, speaking to paidContent, thinks that the 30% share "makes music subscriptions economically unviable."
Apple will suffer for it.This benefits users in one way and one way only: it gives them one place to enter payment information. That's it. Finis. End of story.
Everyone keeps saying that each time, but customers keep coming back. Maybe this time will be different, but insofar as this also benefits users, I am doubtful.
A developer that leaves out of politics or spite just opens up a business opportunity for someone else.Please note the example of Readability: they aren't leaving out of spite, they were rejected from the app store for doing something that you -- upthread -- said would be perfectly fine.
« Older SPENT... | Ken Robinson: Changing Educati... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by blucevalo at 9:32 AM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]