On Missing the Point

(Disclaimer: before I get started, I should take extra care to note that I don’t speak for Omni. This is my personal blog, with my personal opinions.)

Every time I make some criticism of the App Store — that, for instance, the 30% cut for Apple is too high, or that free trials would be a good thing — some number of people respond that Apple is a business and they’re allowed to do what they’re doing.

They may also remind me that this is capitalism, and that I can vote with my feet — that is, go create an Android app (or whatever) where the cost is presumably lower.

And they remind me that I should work with the world as it is, rather than the world as I want it to be.

They’re not wrong. Of course Apple is a business and is within their rights to charge whatever they want to charge, and developers could go do something else. And when making business decisions we have to look at facts and best extrapolations, not wishes and ponies.

But that misses the point entirely.

* * *

The point is that we are allowed — even in a capitalist system! — to criticize and to ask for changes. You can ask your spouse to put away the dishes more often; you can ask your kids to do their homework before dinner; you can ask the government for universal health care or corporate tax cuts; and you can ask Apple to lower the App Store cut.

Imagine if Starbucks charged $20 for a latte. You might complain about it and ask them to lower the price. Even if there’s another coffee shop nearby with much less expensive lattes, you still might.

Yes! Even in a capitalist system you can do this! It’s totally a-okay! Even if they’re within their rights (they are) to charge that much. Even if they are a business!

There’s no sacred verse that says businesses acting lawfully can’t be criticized. Nothing says we can’t advocate for change. In fact, I’d say that that’s part of capitalism, too.

* * *

So I got into a lengthy Twitter argument about Apple’s 30% App Store cut.

My thinking is that a lower cut provides more incentive for developers to invest in high-quality, long-lived apps — and that that’s good for the platform and good for users, and good for Apple, and so everybody wins.

It’s at least worth trying (this being capitalism, there are no guarantees of success) — and, since Apple is the wealthiest company in the history of companies, they could afford to try this.

If I’m right, then everybody wins: Apple, users, and developers. And if I’m wrong, Apple is not in any financial jeopardy.

* * *

I don’t think I’m misunderstanding or breaking the rules of capitalism by saying this. Nor am I telling developers to base their business decisions on fantasies.

But somebody will tell me that I am.