Pluralistic: Apple vs the “free market” (15 Aug 2024) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net

Every artist, performer and creator on Patreon is about to get screwed out of 30% of their gross revenue, which will be diverted to Apple, the most valuable company on the planet. Apple contributes nothing to their work, but it will get to steal a third of their wages. How is this possible? Enshittification.

  • slugworth@lemmy.world
    57·
    3 months ago

    Easy solution, just delete the Patreon app from your phone. There’s really no need for it anyway, just use the website.

    • tburkhol@lemmy.world
      21·
      3 months ago

      The Android app should still be fine. I’d expect Apple’s move to be followed by a lot of creators adding a “Don’t use the iOS Patreon app” to their profiles.

      I mean, apps that are just the website are a bad idea in the first place, but this specific problem is entirely contained to the iOS app. If some people prefer an app to a bookmark, that’s on them.

      • deranger@sh.itjust.works
        4·
        3 months ago

        I use the app but all my subs are done through the website. It’s nice getting notifications for new podcast episodes.

        Is Apple going to try and stop this? How would they even do that short of removing the app from the App Store ? I already don’t pay for anything in any iOS apps if there’s an alternative method.

      • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        I’d expect Apple’s move to be followed by a lot of creators adding a “Don’t use the iOS Patreon app”

        I’ve already received similar posts from a couple of patreon accounts I follow.

    • Anonymouse@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      I think you’re missing the point.of the essay. He seems to be saying that Apple has decided what content you should be viewing and that they have captured the “free market” because no amount of consumer crying will change it.

      Consuming the content another way won’t affect Apple in any way since they’ll keep repeating their behavior. The author is saying that the government regulators need to get involved to restore your rights on what you can do with a device that you purchased. Near the end he even goes on to say that you (a consumer) have implicitly waived your right to sue Apple for this.

      I guess the only option is to vote or maybe not use Apple products (but are the alternatives any better?)

  • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
    15·
    3 months ago

    can’t they just make it free and require membership to be purchased on the web? In other words don’t allow membership to be purchased in the app?

    • MimicJar@lemmy.world
      12·
      3 months ago

      Yes. Many apps already do this. There is some specific wording you have to use since Apple doesn’t like when you do that, but yes you can.

      • bountygiver [any]@lemmy.mlEnglish
        6·
        3 months ago

        more or less you can’t link people to your site to purchase membership directly from the app. They have to visit the site themselves

  • cron@feddit.org
    14·
    3 months ago

    The linked essay is quite long and (at least for me) hard to read. One of the first links in the article is to this patreon blog post, that summarizes the issue well.

    As we first announced last year, Apple is requiring that Patreon use their in-app purchasing system and remove all other billing systems from the Patreon iOS app by November 2024.

    This has two major consequences for creators:

    1. Apple will be applying their 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app, in addition to anything bought in your Patreon shop.
    2. Any creator currently on first-of-the-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch over to subscription billing to continue earning in the iOS app, because that’s the only billing type Apple’s in-app purchase system supports.

    Before we go any further, we want to be crystal clear about one thing: Apple’s fee will not impact your existing members. It will only affect new memberships purchased in the iOS app from November onward.

    • nocturne@sopuli.xyz
      9·
      3 months ago

      Apple’s fee will not impact your existing members. It will only affect new memberships purchased in the iOS app from November onward.

      Which is contradictory to the first line of the linked essay. Does it suck? Yes. But the author of this “article” is trying to build anti-Apple outrage with this piece. Let’s not pretend any company is altruistic. Even Patreon takes a cut.

      • tb_@lemmy.world
        3·
        3 months ago

        Which is contradictory to the first line of the linked essay.

        Is it though?
        Current sign-ups are likely through Patreons own payment system, which will stay as it is. It would be like signing up in the web version, then going on to use the iOS app. That wouldn’t suddenly subtract 30% from a payment Apple has no control over.

        • nocturne@sopuli.xyz
          2·
          3 months ago

          Is it though?

          Every artist, performer and creator on Patreon is about to get screwed out of 30% of their gross revenue, which will be diverted to Apple

          Yes, it makes it sound as though everyone is about to start losing the 30% to Apple No matter how their subscribers pay. Which if you read patreon’s blog post you will see is not the case.

          • tb_@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            Ah, like so. I thought you were referring to the article on the Patreon website with your initial comment, rather than the article in the post itself.

            You’re right, the article is wrong. “Gross revenue” makes no sense.

  • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
    11·
    3 months ago

    Capitalism in decline finds new ways to exploit to counter the overall Tendency for the Rate of Profit to Fall.