Netflix is the Latest Company to Try Bypassing Apple’s App Store

DooKey

DooKey

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Netflix is wanting to join companies like Epic, who dumped Google Play, and bypass the Apple App Store. They are testing a way for their customers to register and pay for Netflix without using the Netflix app. While they are at it they are also looking to skirt the commissions from Google Play as well. If they can do this they will keep the money they would normally have to pay as a commission to Apple. Apple takes a big chunk of what an app brings in and this is really starting to bite into the profits of all that sell on the App Store. Sooner or later Apple is going to have to lower their fees or the big boys are just going to cut them out of the loop. Spotify took this route and encouraged their customers to pay through Spotify.com and even gave them a discount. Better watch it Apple.

Netflix is looking into a new sign-up approach where users in some countries are no longer able to register for streaming service. They are being redirected to the mobile web version of the app and asked to enter payment details with Netflix directly.
 
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Netflix isn’t trying to bypass the App Store, they are trying to bypass in app purchases.
 
bypassing the store in bad mmmmkay

I'm not sideloading any app which isn't monitored by google to keep it from doing nebulous things on my phone.

don't be stupid Netflix.
 
Ocellaris said:
Netflix isn’t trying to bypass the App Store, they are trying to bypass in app purchases.
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just what sort of in-app purchases can be made? netflix is a monthly service, so i am wondering, what can you buy on the phone apps?
 
katanaD said:
just what sort of in-app purchases can be made? netflix is a monthly service, so i am wondering, what can you buy on the phone apps?
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They let people sign up using apple pay/google pay. Thats where the cut comes from. All they have to do is disallow that.

I have a netflix sub and have never used one of their apps. I signed up online using a web browser.
 
DigitalGriffin said:
bypassing the store in bad mmmmkay

I'm not sideloading any app which isn't monitored by google to keep it from doing nebulous things on my phone.

don't be stupid Netflix.
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Yes you are and yes you do. Google play+ Safe=Bullshit. https://www.express.co.uk/life-styl...-Google-Play-Store-Windows-malicious-software. Multi-billion dollar company and droid is still one of the most unsafe/unsecured software. Why I hate google. All that money and can't build better software than they do?
 
katanaD said:
just what sort of in-app purchases can be made? netflix is a monthly service, so i am wondering, what can you buy on the phone apps?
Click to expand...

You subscribe through the Apple store and Apple gets (IIRC) 15% of your monthly fee.
 
They are not bypassing the App Store.

They are bypassing using the App store to sign up for a Netflix subscription. Apple gets a cut when you make a purchase or sign up for a subscription using in App functionality within the App Store.

Amazon does this too with their Kindle and Audible App. You can't buy a book on their iOS Kindle App...you have to open up a web browser, buy the book, and then you can access it in App.
 
So they've monopolized the means of distribution of apps and so it's ok if they exact a cut indefinitely for a feature that was already paid for by the customer.
 
jpm100 said:
So they've monopolized the means of distribution of apps and so it's ok if they exact a cut indefinitely for a feature that was already paid for by the customer.
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Nobody was ever forced to sign up for Netflix with in app purchases, you could just go to the website and do it. Difference is some people prefer to pay for subscriptions through Apple since it keeps everything in one place.
 
Far as I know, the apple store tax for subscriptions is 15%, it used to be %30 but I think they lowered it in September 2016 for subscriptions, everything else is still 30%. Regardless, when you consider credit card merchant fees from banks are something like 3% (a good five times less), what apple charges is too damn high. It's no wonder everyone is looking on how to bypass it.
 
cdr_74_premium said:
Funny how those "as a service" businesses HATE paying for other people's "services" .
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Can you please eloborate the "funny" part in this?
I mean how is this different from any other business?

Business that sells physical items are not like LOVING to buy unneeded physical itmes as well.
Cutting unnedded cost of production is a normal way to optimize business.
 
cdr_74_premium said:
Funny how those "as a service" businesses HATE paying for other people's "services" .
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They're overpaying. I get the initial subscription for the first month at 15%, as the user *may* have found the app via the app store. But to charge 15% every single month is ludicrous, considering the stores "service" was already rendered (connecting a potential user with an app). The only other service they're offering after that initial connection is the hosting of the app and some QA. Same goes for Google. Steam commands a slightly higher rate because of the data storage.

It really should be tiered. 15 or 30% for the first month of a new subscriber (a "referral" fee) and around 3%-5% each month after that as a merchant fee / app store maintenance fee.
 
cdr_74_premium said:
Funny how those "as a service" businesses HATE paying for other people's "services" .
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Maybe when the great explosion was first starting the high margins being charged were justified because of the high startup costs by google/apple...now it is nothing more than pure greed of massive proportions. There is NOTHING you can reasonably argue that justify what they charge right now. A lot of data indicates that a margin of 5-10% (more towards 5%) is much more reasonable to both cover their actual costs (which is well below 1% BTW) and also give them revenue for profit and growth/expansion.
 
cdr_74_premium said:
Funny how those "as a service" businesses HATE paying for other people's "services" .
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why do you think Google et al are being investigated for monopolistic practices in the EU? Puts into perspective what the claims of 'it's all free, ad-supported' means when there is pretty much only 'one service' that gets the forefront premium treatment .
 
SnowBeast said:
Yes you are and yes you do. Google play+ Safe=Bullshit. https://www.express.co.uk/life-styl...-Google-Play-Store-Windows-malicious-software. Multi-billion dollar company and droid is still one of the most unsafe/unsecured software. Why I hate google. All that money and can't build better software than they do?
Click to expand...

Google tries their best to be diligent. Once google does find something, they remove the app. It is after all in their best interest to protect their platform. There is no such option here with an APK sideload.
 
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