Too many of these companies have dark patterns for canceling your subscription (or hoping you forget you have one) that I actively stay away from most services that I can't just use an IAP with. This is largely thanks to all of this being consolidated in a single UI where with just a couple clicks (without ever needing to open the app and dealing with their marketing or 20 questions) I can cancel a subscription.
Apple will email me when a yearly subscription is about to bill, clearly telling me how I can manage or cancel it (again outside of the app).
I understand why businesses may not like this, but as a consumer I value this heavily (and yes I do find myself annoyed by what I often hear also being in the tech industry).
At the same time for individual digital purchases I don't want to give every company my credit card. I would much rather that go through Apple.
I understand the concern about the "30% cut" but I wish these companies would also realize that I (and I assume many others) spend more money though my phone because I can do it through Apple where otherwise you would not be getting my money in the first place. So its 70% or nothing from me. Especially when there are alternatives that will be more than happy to take that money from me.
That doesn't mean that I don't use my credit card in some places. But those are for physical items. Likely at stores that already have my credit card in the first place.
At the end of the day, it is Spotify that is choosing to make customers jump through hoops. They chose to enter this market knowing that this will be an issue (if they did not expect this issue... honestly fire whoever decided to go into this market).
Reputation have a price, Apple may not be perfect but I can trust that they aren't going to deceive my parents or make their life more difficult when trying to use technology.
At least personally, I would much rather pay a bit more than opening the door to cheaper prices at cost of Apple losing one of their big advantages, trustworthiness.
I don’t get iMessage spam. Period. That alone is valuable. Politicians who make these regulations continue to spam me and there is no way to block them with a do not call list.
Apple is so valuable in part because they do enforce some rules.
Though, at face value, I do see the argument for giving folks the option to make the purchase how they want, which may mean doing it in the app but not using Apple's APIs. I dunno, I don't have strong feelings about any of this, so it always surprises me when companies try to make such a big deal of it. Sure, it affects their bottom line, but let's not pretend like I should care about that.
Looks like I'm paying more via IAP for Youtube ($16 vs $12/mo) and Audible ($16 vs $8/mo ???) according to the prices listed on their website.
Half of the services out there probably charge you extra just because you don't have to go through their scummy "cancel subscription" website pipeline. They probably lose millions on that along with the fact that I get an iOS notification when my IAP subscriptions renew.
One crappy autorenewing service charging my credit card directly has cost me more than IAP taxes ever will. As far as I'm concerned, IAP saves me money and the status quo for rebilling in the USA only benefits the bad actors.
Or because Apple charges 30% for IAP which is huge when your base price already is 10-15 dollars.
Apple forbids informing users about the extra cost they're paying for using IAP.
Apple forbids informing users that any competing payment method may exist anywhere else.
Apple forbids having cheaper prices elsewhere.
Apple enforcing it is the only reason as a consumer I don't have to deal with park patterns for many of the apps I use. Which is a good thing for consumers
I am talking about payment services. Most companies will do everything they can to screw over the consumer. Especially once they have you in a subscription.
As a consumer I would rather these companies be forced to not do shady practices and have to conform to a uniform way of purchases and subscriptions.
I have been in too many meetings about "User Retention", if given the chance very few companies will choose to loose the ability to bash the user over the head with "are you sure you want to cancel" or "please call to cancel".
Apple forces it.
Edit:
Put Another Way: Apple giving developer the choice of wether or not to use their system removes MY choice as a consumer to avoid scummy business practices (Which are often not on display until you no longer want to do business with them).
You're right - you don't have a choice if you support scummy business practices with Apple. When you use an iProduct, Apple demands it. Every dime you spend on the App Store gets taxed by the richest company on Earth.
So companies "will do everything they can to screw over the customer". Apparently excluding Apple for some reason who can never do wrong or suddenly start demanding apps charge subscriptions instead of a flat fee in the first place, but let's continue.
Companies that have their own infrastructure to support their own payment systems will switch to it, but have to create a justification for consumers to switch as Apple isn't going to do that work for them. So maybe they cut the fee, maybe they throw in a bonus whatever. Some consumers switch, finding this new method acceptable.
Then there will be other consumers, like you, who value Apple's system too highly to switch. If the above hypothetical company does not support both Apple and their own systems, this group of consumers will opt not to continue subscribing.
Now tell me, how is this so bad? How are you unable to avoid scummy business practices?
No it doesn't. If you use Apple IAP (or any 3'rd party IAP) you cancel there and the 2'nd party can't do anything about it. What you are claiming is just a lie, a strawman.
The difference being discussed is between <Apple enforcing Apple IAP as one of the options for IAP> and <Apple enforcing Apple IAP as the ONLY option and banning any communication on the subject>.
Perhaps when law or credit card processors force companies to provide an easy way to cancel a service, as easy as it was to sign up for it, then I can worry about competition in IAP space.
Also both Visa and Mastercard have their own rules that apply to subscription services, for example Visa requires services that allow signing up for a subscription to be easily cancelled online. So if you run into great issues there, call up Visa!
The difference being discussed is between <Apple enforcing Apple IAP as one of the options for IAP> and <Apple enforcing Apple IAP as the ONLY option and banning any communication on the subject>.
They built the platform that allowed Spotify to even exist.
And then they built the distribution channel that directed customers to Spotify.
No different to Spotify itself.
Apple is rent-seeking by abusing their natural monopoly on app distribution on iOS platforms (their platform, their rules) which is leveraged to create a monopoly in IAP channels.
I think this would be a great solution. I also prefer using apple for purchases, but they should at least be allowed to point the user to another purchase option.
Because it cares about its customers, who are paying for the service.
While you could argue enabling the purchase justifies this markup, forbidding the mention of alternative methods seems like an artificial constraint.
It simply requires that the person be able to cancel easily and in a standardized way. And Apple could enforce that. That's the whole point of having a review process, an app review, all that.
Apple could enforce that, but they choose not to.
For buying one off products. Don’t wan to be using in-app purchase.
I seem to suddenly be able to buy audiobooks in audible now though? Or at least use my credits. When did that happen?
Paying 30% more for all your subscriptions sounds like an interesting way of dealing with that problem.