Does Facebook pay Apple 30% of revenue derived from ads made within its iOS app? (twitter.com)

Article summary

The article discusses whether Facebook pays Apple a 30% cut of revenue derived from ads made within its iOS app. It highlights that Apple's rules may not be applied evenly, as the company claims, citing examples of other apps like Amazon and Airbnb. The article sparks a debate about Apple's policies and their impact on developers and users. The discussion revolves around the consistency and fairness of Apple's rules regarding in-app purchases and digital goods.

Main themes

• Apple's app store policies
• in-app purchases and digital goods
• developer revenue and fairness
• customer privacy and ad-supported models
• app ecosystem competition and innovation
• sideloading and alternative app stores

What commenters say

• Apple's 30% cut only applies to digital content that enhances the core app experience, not to purchases of physical goods or services like ad placement.
• The distinction between buying ads and buying digital goods is clear, and Apple's rules are consistent in this regard.
• Allowing apps like Facebook to sell ad space without paying a cut to Apple creates an uneven playing field and undermines Apple's stance on customer privacy.
• Apple's rules are arbitrary and unfair, and the company's actions are motivated by a desire to maintain control over the app ecosystem.
• The ability to sideload apps or create alternative app stores is limited by Apple's restrictions, making it difficult for developers to compete with Apple's own apps.
• The ads purchased through the Facebook app are not for personal use, but rather for advertising to other people, which is a key distinction in determining whether Apple's cut applies.
• Apple's policies may incentivize developers to use ad-supported models rather than paid models, which could have implications for customer privacy and the overall app ecosystem.
• The issue is not about whether Apple's rules are consistent, but rather about whether they are fair and reasonable, and whether they stifle innovation and competition in the app ecosystem.