Steve Troughton-SmithApr 24, 2024

Apple got fined $2B for its illegal pre-DMA conduct on this issue, and still thinks it can withhold 'following the law’ until you sign up for an entitlement, a 27% Apple tax, and give Apple audit rights to your company. Which is all completely illegal under the DMA.

lol

The fines can't come quick enough or heavy enough.
https://mastodon.social/@macrumors/112328353754517763

Show threadTony WestApr 25, 2024
@stroughtonsmith @macrumors
Devils advocate. “Spotify does not currently pay Apple any money, and it does not want to.”. Do you think it’s fair for Spotify to get a platform to make money on for free?
Show threadSteve Troughton-SmithApr 25, 2024
@pasavito @macrumors first Apple can follow the law, and then we can debate who deserves what. Apple’s platform in Europe is nothing without the European citizens, developers, networks, suppliers, distribution mechanisms underneath. Part of getting access to our citizens (et al) is following our laws. Apple thinks it owns its users, and can do whatever it wants to/for/with them; not so
Show threadMayanja

@stroughtonsmith @pasavito @macrumors For those who think apple is in its right - let's also increase all Uber fares by 27% and all Amazon shopping by 27% when done through the apps. They use the platform just the same way as Spotify does. Uber benefited just as much from the rise of mobile phones.

Somehow only digital good are subjected to the Apple tax.

Also if we didn't have Spotify, we'd still be buying iTunes tracks.

Apr 25, 2024 at 2:30pmMastodon for iOS
Show threadTony WestApr 26, 2024

@Mayanja agree that treating sellable products differently between physical and digital is wrong. But also, Spotify can’t expect a free ride on platforms. There has to be some compensation to platform providers for developing & maintaining the platform.

Spotify aren’t angels either. They split 70/30. Is 70/30 for platform access too high? Yes. But 0 for access is too low as well. I want a thriving app market AND a thriving platform market. Paying 0 doesn’t encourage platform development.