Not only Facebook. Also other developers. Like Airbnb and classpass for example.<p>Source: <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2020/09/25/apple-pausing-its-30-ios-cut-for-facebook-events/" rel="nofollow">https://9to5mac.com/2020/09/25/apple-pausing-its-30-ios-cut-...</a>
How about we go back to where we were in the beginning:<p>Apps can be free or cost money. If they cost money, Apple can take a cut.<p>Apps can sell anything they want that’s part of the <i>app</i> (game levels) and must then use in-app purchases.<p>All other sales both physical and non-physical (media, tickets, parking, ...) you can sell how you want.<p>Are these terms really that absurd?
Apple's mentality it seems is to not care about you or your small development company. They don't care if you're a large app developer, and they never have. From antenna gate to the butterfly keyboard, Apple does what it wants and if you don't like it, well, tough.
I perceive Apple struggling with the payments and cuts it takes...even during normal (“non-pandemic” for readers from the far future) times there doesn’t seem to be a simple, clear and consistent explanation for what or who merits exceptions from paying the 30% commission (and related rates for subscriptions).<p>This news sounds like Apple taking some more time to think things through and come up with better plans (plans for itself and payment plans for developers on its platforms) before the judiciary or lawmakers cripple its systems way beyond its tolerance for changes.<p>There will be more permanent “concessions” coming soon, without admitting in any shape or form that the current system doesn’t make sense and is exploitative for some/many developers (not Facebook, which I believe with its vile history, can easily eat the commissions if it really cares about its users).
This is like national vs international law. Apple can make rules for entities weaker than it, but with entities that are comparable, it's whatever they can negotiate.<p>When companies are privately owned and highly concentrated, you get two sets of rules: one for the weak and one for the strong.
So what about apps through which you can purchase physical goods, like Amazon's app (I presume one exists)? Do those also have to give 30% cut to apple?