O Twitter Blue, Twitter’s subscription service, has been delayed yet again — much to the chagrin of anyone looking to buy a verified one. The service would be “re-launched” last Tuesday (29), but the social network chose to hold the subscription until they find a way to escape the App Store’s 30% commission — charged since 2008. from Apple, despite being “valid”, seems to be yet another spectacular “battle” between Elon Musk and the company.
Recently, Musk began to attack Apple after he published that the company may remove Twitter from the App Store – motivated by the relaxation of measures against hate speech on the social network and “amnesty” to permanently banned users. However, the only source on the subject is Musk himself. Apple has also reduced spending on Twitter ads🇧🇷
Twitter Blue delayed due to App Store fee
All apps from the App Store that have some kind of in-app salewhether subscription or one-time purchase, need pay a 30% commission for using the App Store payment system🇧🇷 So far, nothing unusual, Android also has a fee for this. The problem is that Apple does not allow other payment methods to be used.
The way Elon Musk can get around the 30% fee is by not allowing the Twitter Blue subscription to run on Twitter for iOS. Thus, any operating system user would have to access the social network via PC to subscribe to Twitter Blue🇧🇷 Not so practical, but it is the way that some companies, of different sizes, have found to not lose so much money with their products.
However, Twitter will have to keep the payout “under wraps”. In 2020, Epic Games faced Apple and put its payment method directly into Fortnite. the result is the legal dispute between the two companies — no end in sight. Any mention of an external payment may lead to app suspension from the App Store🇧🇷
Unlike Epic Games, Twitter is very dependent on iOS🇧🇷 As highlighted by mashable, only 7% of Epic’s revenue came from iPhone users. The social network already has 80% of access by mobiles. In the United States, Apple has more than half of the smartphone market share🇧🇷
Musk may be the richest man in the world, but losing Twitter to iOS would be the “silver bullet” in the social network. In addition to promising that the platform will “profit like never before”, Musk placed Twitter as a guarantor of loan payments. In theory, the debt is in the legal entity and the profits of the social network will settle the debts.
30% Fee Isn’t Secret — But Apple Is Unfair
To inflame his followers, Elon Musk published that the 30% rate is “secret”. The tweet was a clear and perfect example of misinformation. — something different from fake news, as it uses correct data out of context, combined with a lie or something sensationalist (“secret”). The goal is to deceive readers (if the owner of Twitter acts like that…) using a drop of fact.
In fact, Apple never hid the App Store commission. She went performed by Steve Jobs in 2008 onstage at the iPhone 3G launch event (known as the iPhone 2). The rate is only valid for digital products, which is why e-commerces do not pay 30% for each item sold.
14 years ago, any software developer or professional involved with mobile applications knows that 30% of the value of any in-app transaction will go to Apple. It’s in the terms that the company needs to read and agree to before uploading an app to the App Store. In 2020, Apple created the Apple Small Business program, in which companies that earn up to US$ 1 million per year pay commission of just 15%.
However, it is right to criticize Apple for not allowing other payment methods🇧🇷 The company was not found guilty of monopoly in the legal dispute with Epic, but of violation of fair competition.
The judge in the case forced Apple to authorize the use of other payment systems in the App Store. The company appealed the decision and a new trial date has not yet been presented.
https://tecnoblog.net/noticias/2022/11/30/twitter-blue-e-adiado-novamente-enquanto-musk-tenta-burlar-taxa-de-30/