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Comment by kalak451 | Hacker News Reader

Hmmm....and if my app gets someone to buy your iPad, what do I get?

You get heavy promotion. Look at how Angry Birds and all the other games did by being featured on "New and Noteworthy" or "Staff Picks" or "Top Grossing Apps". It's a two-way street; don't make it sound like Apple is taking advantage of your efforts.

That works for a hugely small subset of apps. Each (well written) app creates a lot of value for iOs, most of those won't get anything at all from Apple.

So again, why isn't the inverse true? If I'm building something that helps sell an iOs device, why shouldn't I get a cut?

Of course I shouldn't, but that's the problem in Apples logic here.

> Each (well written) app creates a lot of value for iOS

We all, being programmers, like to assume this, but I don't think it's really true. I think the bulk of the value for both Apple and iOS users comes from a pretty small core of apps (Mail, Maps, Browser, Music, YouTube, Publisher subscriptions).

> If I'm building something that helps sell an iOs device, why shouldn't I get a cut?

I don't think Apple agrees that you're "helping sell the iOS device". I think Apple correctly assumes that most people who buy iOS devices do so in ignorance of your app. They can take it or leave it, and if they're not going to get a cut, what possible reason do they have to take it?

It's a small subset of apps that matter to each individual, but collectively it's a big number. Lets take my wife. She'd describe each of these as being indispensable to her:

- Quickoffice - Local weather app (9news here in Denver) - OpenTable - Her password store (not sure what she's using these days) - Evernote - Probably 8-10 others

My list is completely different. These apps, together, create a lot of value for the phone. When we recommend phones to other folks we do it in the context of the applications running on it. Angry Birds has undoubtedly sold a ton of devices (both Android and iPhone) but it's hardly alone. Hell, I'm positive that I sold an iPhone one day while showing someone a document in Quickoffice.

Each app provides a ton of value to Apple. They owe us, not the other way around.

That's like saying because Paris Hilton has an address in Beverly Hills and attracts tourists, the city should pay her. Actually that's not quite as insane as it sounds. Cities and counties give tax breaks to companies that bring jobs to their constituents, all the time. It all depends on who is in the position of power. If your app really is that good, concessions can always be made. Look at how long it took the Beatles to get on iTunes.

    So again, why isn't the inverse true? If I'm building something that helps sell an iOs device, why shouldn't I get a cut?

Maybe you are right, maybe you should leave apple and help Microsoft sell WP7 devices. They will be grateful.

I guess my point is that it really does work both ways, the iPad existing may help me sell things, and me selling those things helps sell iPads. So how about both sides just focus on taking money from the customers instead of each other.

You don't get "heavy promotion". You have an incredibly small chance of getting any promotion at all.

I think people hoping to hit the app store lotto by getting mentioned by Apple or TechCrunch are the same kinds of people that get duped into doing spec work.

"I'll be a millionaire just as soon as my iFart clone gets listed as one of Apple's Staff Picks."

An enormous and unwarranted sense of entitlement.

Edit: Man goes to store to buy cereal. Buys milk, too. Cereal company asks store owner "But what do we get?"

If MS tried something like this, would you be ok with it too?

The name of the company is not a circumstance I find especially relevant to whether I am "ok with it".

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