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Comment by samstave | Hacker News Reader

>*Software differentiator*

The reasons I would not like to have one of these devices ;

* Apple's closed moat

* App store lock-in

* 'DLC' model whereby not a single thing you do on this $3,500 device will be free - and no matter what app you choose, Apple takes 30% of whatever revenue stream that app wants...

* The piss-poor apple fix-service market, and their shitty designs of the iphone which break so fn easily that VCs (YC+) have had to invest in cottage industry of phone repairs

I've had iphones since the first day of launch... and while I prefer them over android, I still hate ios ecosystem.

The infra-mechanics of it are awesome, but compared to the smarmy and condescending greedy Apple, i still hate ios.

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While I sympathize with feeling disappointed in having to pay for apps for use with such an expensive headset, I believe that its price would have severely restricted the number of free apps available for it in the first place. Developers are going to want to recuperate their investment, and that'd remain true even if it were possible to install whatever one pleased on it.

It's technically possible to develop on the simulator alone, but given that the simulator is confined to a 2D window on a computer screen I can't imagine that apps developed in this manner would be able to stand up to competition developed without such limitations.

Yeah, I understand both sides of the Coin. I appreciate your response, and it deepens my concern is that there will be an entirely new DLC-ish content model whereby you have one price for an ios app - and then a different price for the "Apple Headset AR *EXPERIENCE*" version of all the apps - and certain features will be lock-outs to non AR-paying-premium customers...

Its just FN financially-dystopian

---

@scarface_74 ;

"*May you please ELI5 expand on your comment - as I am OOTL and would like to understand what you mean, precisely. (because I want to learn, kthxbai)*"

/as-i-am-posting-too-fast....

Surprisingly the GP didn't include price of the device as a reason, but the 30% Apple cut/likely uplift in price that developers need to charge to recuperate development costs - which are far more significant than developer hardware costs.

A non-Apple device without the moat would be better. GP also didn't ask for free apps.

Yes that must be why there is a thriving profitable market for apps on Android that don’t go through the Play Store.

Almost every non game app on the iPhone/iPad of note require a subscription and most outside of the App Store.

> The reasons I would not like to have one of these devices ;

I'm sure there are a number of people here who will agree with you.

On the other hand, the fact that Apple now has a $3 trillion-with-a-"t" market cap indicates that most people do not care about any of these issues. Not in the slightest.

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