So I'm very curious if anyone can help see a "intuitive fair line" better than I can (because I can't find one).
On the one hand, it makes perfect sense Apple wants 30% on apps. They run the store.
On the other hand, it seems like Amazon should be able to sell books, Dropbox should be able to sell space, etc., without paying 30% -- otherwise it's financially impossible.
But if you allow apps to sell content within without paying 30%, then all of a sudden all apps become free, selling "upgrading functionality" within, and the app store is no longer viable for Apple.
You can't even make a rule like "reselling 3rd party content is exempt from the fee", because apps will claim additional functionality as 3rd-party. You can't make a rule that "content accessible on other devices is exempt from the fee", because gamemakers will just make their in-game purchases accessible on the Android version too, or something.
Can anyone think of a clear, unambiguous rule that would allow things like Dropbox, Skydrive, Amazon, etc. to get around the 30% fee, but without allowing loopholes that would allow everyone to skirt it? I swear my brain thinks there's a distinction, but I can't figure out what it is.
On the one hand, it makes perfect sense Apple wants 30% on apps. They run the store.
On the other hand, it seems like Amazon should be able to sell books, Dropbox should be able to sell space, etc., without paying 30% -- otherwise it's financially impossible.
But if you allow apps to sell content within without paying 30%, then all of a sudden all apps become free, selling "upgrading functionality" within, and the app store is no longer viable for Apple.
You can't even make a rule like "reselling 3rd party content is exempt from the fee", because apps will claim additional functionality as 3rd-party. You can't make a rule that "content accessible on other devices is exempt from the fee", because gamemakers will just make their in-game purchases accessible on the Android version too, or something.
Can anyone think of a clear, unambiguous rule that would allow things like Dropbox, Skydrive, Amazon, etc. to get around the 30% fee, but without allowing loopholes that would allow everyone to skirt it? I swear my brain thinks there's a distinction, but I can't figure out what it is.