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Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

(www.theverge.com)
1704 points ardit33 | 7 comments | 13 Aug 20 19:03 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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atarian ◴[13 Aug 20 20:47 UTC] No.24148828[source]▶
If Apple allowed other payment methods, that would incentivize developers not to go through Apple at all. Even paid apps would switch over to an unlock model in order to avoid the 30% cut.

So I think it's very unlikely that Apple will allow other payment options. It's more likely for their 30% to go down, but even that's questionable.

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winter_blue ◴[13 Aug 20 21:35 UTC] No.24149646[source]▶
Android allows developers to integrate Stripe and take customer's credit cards and bypass the 30% cut.

Yet, many apps choose have direct Play Store purchases, since that convenience might translate to a higher conversion rate.

Android also allows third party apps to be installed.

Your argument doesn't hold up in light of all of this.

replies(1): >>24149954 #
1. atarian ◴[13 Aug 20 21:58 UTC] No.24149954[source]▶
>Android allows developers to integrate Stripe and take customer's credit cards and bypass the 30% cut.

You are completely wrong.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/9/21003553/google-play-stor...

replies(1): >>24152054 #
2. erklik ◴[14 Aug 20 01:16 UTC] No.24152054[source]▶
> You are completely wrong.

Not really. Not being allowed to host on the Google Play Store does not mean not being allowed to install the app on an Android.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/3/17645982/epic-games-fortni...

replies(1): >>24152342 #
3. atarian ◴[14 Aug 20 02:01 UTC] No.24152342[source]▶
I said you cannot bypass the 30% cut on the Google Play Store. Hosting your app elsewhere is not the same thing as hosting it on the Google Play Store.
replies(1): >>24152431 #
4. erklik ◴[14 Aug 20 02:14 UTC] No.24152431{3}[source]▶
> >Android allows developers to integrate Stripe and take customer's credit cards and bypass the 30% cut.

> You are completely wrong.

He isn't wrong. Android allows developers to integrate Stripe and bypass the 30% cut.

replies(1): >>24152438 #
5. atarian ◴[14 Aug 20 02:16 UTC] No.24152438{4}[source]▶
Prove it.
replies(1): >>24152731 #
6. ineedasername ◴[14 Aug 20 02:57 UTC] No.24152731{5}[source]▶
Near as I can tell, it actually depends on what you're buying. If it's for the app itself, like an upgrade to "premium" or stuff for the game you're playing, it has to go through Google Pay and they take their cut. If it's something unrelated to the app, like a physical product or digital content for use outside the app, you're not beholden to Google Pay. But it seems like there are some grey areas.

I didn't get this from any single source, just bits and pieces put together from random forum posts and a few quora threads. And of course policies can change, so anything I found might be different right now. But I know you can buy digital books through Amazon's Kindle app on Android and it doesn't look like Google gets any of that cut: it's the normal "one click" purchase option you see in their web site, no prompt for Google Pay, just click and it's yours, downloading right away.

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7. willcipriano ◴[14 Aug 20 08:10 UTC] No.24155202{6}[source]▶
Example: Bandcamp on Android let's me buy music via PayPal or credit card outside of the Google Play store.

Similarly Audible let's me do this as well.