Apple stops Facebook from informing users of 30% App Store fee

[midian182]

What just happened? Despite the publicity around its battle with Epic Games, it seems Apple still doesn’t like revealing that it takes a 30% cut of in-app purchases. A new feature from Facebook was supposed to inform users of this fee, but Cupertino blocked the notice.

Reuters reports that Facebook’s new feature is a way for online influencers and other businesses to host paid online events, helping them make up some of the money lost during the pandemic. As the tool is for good causes, the company asked Apple to waive the 30% fee it charges for in-app purchases, thereby allowing the entire revenue to be passed onto the business owners. Apple generously refused.

Facebook wanted to ensure people knew it was Apple, not the social network, taking a fee from the purchase. Earlier this month, the company released images showing how the message would appear in the app, but the note never made it to the final version.

According to Facebook, Apple cited its App Store rules that prevent developers from showing “irrelevant” information to users. There was also a planned message for the Android version that read: “Facebook doesn’t take a fee from this purchase,” but that was not displayed either.

“Now more than ever, we should have the option to help people understand where money they intend for small businesses actually goes,” Facebook said in a statement. “Unfortunately Apple rejected our transparency notice around their 30% tax but we are still working to make that information available inside the app experience.”

How Facebook will do that without incurring Apple’s wrath is unclear.

Apple's 30% in-app purchase cut was the cause of its legal battle with Epic Games. After the latter introduced a payment option to Fortnite that circumvented the fee, Apple booted the game from the App Store.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/86549-apple-stops-facebook-informing-users-30-app-store.html

 

[otester]

"Apple cited its App Store rules that prevent developers from showing “irrelevant” information to users."

That's the sort of response I'd expect from the CCP.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Fed up with this now. I’ve been aware of Apples fees for developers for a long time and I don’t care. I like my iPhone and iPad a lot and I’m going to continue to use them. They are a hell of a better than their competing devices.

If you have a problem with this fee then don’t use Apple. Same goes for devs. If enough devs pull out then maybe il stop using my iPhone. Just maybe. No one is forced to use Apple. Developers still have access to the majority of users even if they don’t sell on Apple.

Also if you’re unhappy with this 30% fee you need to boycott the play store, steam and probably lots more. It is an industry standard. I guess people think that Apple should charge less than others for some reason.

 

[R00sT3R]

This need for American policy makers to give companies like Apple the freedom to form such abusive, monopolistic behemoths, out of jingoistic national pride for American tech business supremacy, really needs to stop.

...There was a time when such monopolies were reigned in & broken up by the lawmakers,for the good of the consumer. Now they're all just bought & paid for and allow scum companies like Apple to flourish unchecked.

 

[yRaz]

Fed up with this now. I’ve been aware of Apples fees for developers for a long time and I don’t care. I like my iPhone and iPad a lot and I’m going to continue to use them. They are a hell of a better than their competing devices.

If you have a problem with this fee then don’t use Apple. Same goes for devs. If enough devs pull out then maybe il stop using my iPhone. Just maybe. No one is forced to use Apple. Developers still have access to the majority of users even if they don’t sell on Apple.

Also if you’re unhappy with this 30% fee you need to boycott the play store, steam and probably lots more. It is an industry standard. I guess people think that Apple should charge less than others for some reason.

I think the problem comes from when an individual thinks they're essentially donating $10 to a cause and apple takes $3 so the cause only gets $7. You can like your apple products all you want, apple stealing from charity is wrong. It might not be a charity, but people giving money to other people struggling is charity. Apple, the richest company on the world, is taking money from the people who need it most. I guess stealing from everyone is how you get rich

 

[Shadowboxer]

This need for American policy makers to give companies like Apple the freedom to form such abusive, monopolistic behemoths, out of jingoistic national pride for American tech business supremacy, really needs to stop.

...There was a time when such monopolies were reigned in & broken up by the lawmakers,for the good of the consumer. Now they're all just bought & paid for and allow scum companies like Apple to flourish unchecked.

Except it’s not a monopoly. Apple has less than half of the market. Nobody at all is forced to sell through them or buy through them. “Lawmakers” have traditionally always used anti-monopolistic practises on actual monopolies. If they take action against Apple then they would need to take action against loads of other companies who are also not monopolies, like steam for example.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Hermmmm...

I was all for apple yesterday when they announced this rule, but now apple has gone full CCP on facebook. Honestly hope both drive the other bankrupt over this, now that would be funny.

This need for American policy makers to give companies like Apple the freedom to form such abusive, monopolistic behemoths, out of jingoistic national pride for American tech business supremacy, really needs to stop.

...There was a time when such monopolies were reigned in & broken up by the lawmakers,for the good of the consumer. Now they're all just bought & paid for and allow scum companies like Apple to flourish unchecked.

"monopoly". Now, we do live in a time where definitions dont matters and words can mean whatever we want, but last time I checked apple owned about half the US market. Android owns the other half. That is a duopoly, not a monopoly. And outside of america/europe apple has a very slim marketshare.

 

[Shadowboxer]

I think the problem comes from when an individual thinks they're essentially donating $10 to a cause and apple takes $3 so the cause only gets $7. You can like your apple products all you want, apple stealing from charity is wrong. It might not be a charity, but people giving money to other people struggling is charity. Apple, the richest company on the world, is taking money from the people who need it most. I guess stealing from everyone is how you get rich

So, this isn’t really charity, it’s trying to generate business. Apples policy for actual charitable donations is that they are free. Devs are told to setup payment options outside of the Apple store using web or sms. This is not allowed for business transactions but it is for charitable donations. If this counted as charity then they wouldn’t be asking Apple to abolish their fees.

 

[Irata]

If you have a problem with this fee then don’t use Apple.

Kinda hard for users if Apple thinks this information is irrelevant and is not allowing devs to inform their users about that fact. This is what this article is about, btw.

Also if you’re unhappy with this 30% fee you need to boycott the play store, steam and probably lots more. It is an industry standard. I guess people think that Apple should charge less than others for some reason.

And I do what with my expensive Apple device in that case?

On Android, I can indeed boycott Google Play and still continue to install apps from other sources. Installed Fortnite on my kid‘s new phone from Epic directly as it was not on Google Play at that time. Worked fine.
On Windows, I can use or not use the various app stores that are offered and still install programs just fine on the unsubsidized hardware I bought with my money.

On Apple.....nope.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Kinda hard for users if Apple thinks this information is irrelevant and is not allowing devs to inform their users about it.


And I do what with my expensive Apple device in that case?

On Android, I can indeed boycott Google Play and still continue to install apps from other sources. Installed Fortnite on my kid‘s new phone from Epic directly as it was not on Google Play at that time. Worked fine.
On Windows, I can use or not use the various app stores that are offered and still install programs just fine on the unsubsidized hardware I bought with my money.

On Apple.....nope.

You should probably read the terms of an End User Licence Agreement whenever you buy an expensive electronic product. Just because Windows allows you to install anything you like on their OS doesn’t mean Apple does. Why would you make that assumption? You are welcome to illegally install what you like on the device itself but if you want iOS and all it’s features you have to agree to the terms.

It’s actually the same as installing an app outside of the play store. You void your EULA on Android if you do that. But Google just don’t make it quite so difficult to do it, that’s pretty much the only difference.

Anyone with an expensive Apple device has technically signed an agreement to say they are happy with the terms of service. Hate to be that guy but this is a tech forum, you guys should be familiar with EULAs at this point.

The problem here is people don’t like Apple. What they are doing is no different to other industries. How much do you think MS and Sony charge To developers to launch games on their consoles? What do you do with your Xbox if you want to install a game that hasn’t been released for it?

 

[franticfrosty]

Fed up with this now. I’ve been aware of Apples fees for developers for a long time and I don’t care. I like my iPhone and iPad a lot and I’m going to continue to use them. They are a hell of a better than their competing devices.

If you have a problem with this fee then don’t use Apple. Same goes for devs. If enough devs pull out then maybe il stop using my iPhone. Just maybe. No one is forced to use Apple. Developers still have access to the majority of users even if they don’t sell on Apple.

Also if you’re unhappy with this 30% fee you need to boycott the play store, steam and probably lots more. It is an industry standard. I guess people think that Apple should charge less than others for some reason.

As far as I'm aware its not industry standard to force companies to take information out of their products but... I could be wrong.. after all.. I'm not apple

 

[Shadowboxer]

As far as I'm aware its not industry standard to force companies to take information out of their products but... I could be wrong.. after all.. I'm not apple

Actually I would be very surprised if other app stores didn’t have similar rules. Have you ever seen games developers advertising in games how much they are paying to steam/Sony/MS?

 

[yRaz]

So, this isn’t really charity, it’s trying to generate business. Apples policy for actual charitable donations is that they are free. Devs are told to setup payment options outside of the Apple store using web or sms. This is not allowed for business transactions but it is for charitable donations. If this counted as charity then they wouldn’t be asking Apple to abolish their fees.

It's trying to generate good will for business, it's charity with extra steps. But to reply directly to how you're putting it, apple is trying to take 30% away from struggling businesses.

 

[Shadowboxer]

It's trying to generate good will for business, it's charity with extra steps. But to reply directly to how you're putting it, apple is trying to take 30% away from struggling businesses.

That’s not accurate. Apple have refused to cut prices for selling on their App Store. No pressure appears to be being placed on other app stores from other companies. Would be a more accurate statement.

 

[yRaz]

That’s not accurate. Apple have refused to cut prices for selling on their App Store. No pressure appears to be being placed on other app stores from other companies. Would be a more accurate statement.

The other apps stores didn't need pressure put on them to cut prices

 

[Shadowboxer]

The other apps stores didn't need pressure put on them to cut prices

Are you seriously suggesting the only businesses struggling from the pandemic are those who sell on the App Store? Can you tell me which companies need the prices cut on the App Store and why please? We all know about Epic. But you have to have a severely impacted IQ to believe that Epic is struggling.

Look I get it, you hate Apple. But they have no moral or legal obligation to cut their prices.

 

[Cubi Dorf]

Now Apple are blocking free speeches. They really on my bad list now.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Now Apple are blocking free speeches. They really on my bad list now.

In no way is this a blocking of free speech! You must be trolling!

 

[MaxSmarties]

This is getting ridiculous. The customer need to know how much to pay for a service/product, not details about how the money are allocated.
If a customer want to discover details about the business, those details are readily available.

 

[ypsylon]

OK, like Apple or not, but it is nothing special. Every major corpo takes 30-40% cut from basically everything. Of course Apple are scum for preventing FB (probably first time something positive about FB from me, probably should create account now ;P) from disclosing that information. And Valve what? Is it different in bullying devs? Oh no it isn't.

Google is much more insidious. Free means they will steal your whole life and you'll not even know about this - Apple at least shows what information software requests, Google just sucks whole device dry every day without users know it.

Apple has no competition within its ecosystem, they will bully anyone for cut from sales until you're dead. I like iPhones over anything Android offers, but I run them as freeware as you get and Apple gets nothing from 'services' from me, never. It'll probably get even worse after switch to ARM when they will be literally capable of controlling 100% of its own domain.

 

[Fearghast]

TBH I am quite shocked it's not legaly required to be there in a first place.

 

[yRaz]

Are you seriously suggesting the only businesses struggling from the pandemic are those who sell on the App Store? Can you tell me which companies need the prices cut on the App Store and why please? We all know about Epic. But you have to have a severely impacted IQ to believe that Epic is struggling.

Look I get it, you hate Apple. But they have no moral or legal obligation to cut their prices.

Did you read the article?

 

[Endymio]

And I do what with my expensive Apple device in that case?

If you don't like the policies, don't buy the phone in the first place. Have a sense of responsibility regarding your own actions. Asking the government to play nanny to you will eventually turn you into a child.

On Android, I can indeed boycott Google Play and still continue to install apps from other sources.

Legally, you can do that on iPhones also. Apple simply refuses to help you with the process.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Did you read the article?

Yes I did. You didn’t though clearly. I mean you think this is charity! Users are more than welcome to host online classes and not pay Apple for it if they don’t it through an app on the App Store.

A struggling business is still a business. The example above shows “Jaspers cooking classes”. So while Jasper might be struggling to make ends meet, paying him to teach cooking online isn’t the same as donating money to unicef or something like that.

 

[TheWatcher]

Take a 30% or you don't. But the fact that Apple wants to hide this information desperately, speaks a lot. They must be feeling ashamed of themselves.