> Apple has also made clear that if creators on Patreon continue to use unsupported billing models or disable transactions in the iOS app, we will be at risk of having the entire app removed from their App Store.
In other words, every Patreon creator has to be billable through iOS App Store or you get kicked off.
Someone should get the FTC or EU involved. This is beyond the pale.
This is truly egregious. "At risk"? This is sheer blackmail.
"Nice store you have here. It'd be a shame if anything... bad were to happen to it. A 30% cut for our legitimate businessmen's club should assure you peace of mind... "
I agree, but I also wonder why Patreon needs an iOS app.
It's 2024, you don't need an app for everything. See OnlyFans, they're doing fine even without being able to access the proprietary stores.
Personally, I agree. I want better/first class mobile websites over an app. I don't want apps for most things. That said, I didn't grow up in a mobile first/mobile only era.
I don’t think age is the driver. For most people, for the last decade, all software in their phone has come from the App Store. Everybody is trained to check there first. Even if you think to google it first, you’re just going to get App Store link in the top results. Company’s own site might be at the top and you’ll instinctively look for the ‘get on App Store’ badge when you click through.
Some small number of android power users are the only people that really know that downloading an app from not the App Store is possible.
> See OnlyFans
i bet they would do even better as a native app.
also let's remember that apple goes out of their way to not support PWA in an effort to maintain control https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/15/apple-confirms-its-breakin...
This should be beyond illegal right? Other apps do this without issues.
Outside these categories (eg a email account as a service, group classes) you are expected to always have in app purchasing.
There have been interesting ways people have explored getting around this, but obviously Apple thinks they should be paid what they are contractually obligated.
Having control of distribution means it is easy on Apple’s side to solve disagreements. You only see it brought to lawsuit by the other side (e.g. Epic’s lost case in the US)
Patreon from its very model does not. A very sad exploitation of the little guy, even if this is one of the biggest little guys.