In his Epic v. Apple trial testimony, Tim Cook offered a carefully tended ignorance that left many of the lawsuit's key questions unanswered, or unanswerable
I DON'T want alternative app stores or sideloading on iOS. That'll make the platform much worse. I want in-app purchasing for digital goods to have the same rules as physical purchases. And if Apple continues not to bend on the latter, governments may soon force the former. https…
“Also we would have to come up with an alternate way of collecting our commission,” Cook says. “We would then have to figure out how to track what's going on and invoice it and then chase the developers; it seems like a process that doesn't need to exist.”
Tim Cook: “Privacy!” Also Tim Cook: “We'd need to track what's going on between developers and their own users in order to collect our commission”. 👏 https://twitter.com/...
Apple has become many of the monsters they previously fought against. The worst bullies are people who've been bullied themselves and later gain power of their own. They always view themselves as the underdogs and never see the monsters they've become. https://twitter.com/...
@marcoarment I think games should be an exception. They're already addictive / slot machine-like. Apple's role in facilitating and profiting from these game IAPs demands (and has gotten) serious criticism. But Apple is, on the whole, applying brakes. Take those brakes off — it'll…
Tim really blew it here. Missed a great product tie-in opportunity to be like “Well, let me just check THE WALLET APP to get a comprehensive look at our financials. You know judge, with Apple Pay you can...” https://twitter.com/...
Timothy over here wanting to implant an AirTag on each developer and use Find My $. “You can run, but you can't hide!” What a time to be alive. https://twitter.com/...
Given the final minutes of the Epic v. Apple trial, I'm wondering if Epic may actually break open the App Store payment monopoly. Would also be interesting to see how this applies to Apple's recent moves to similarly monopolize in-app advertising. #IANAL https://www.theverge.com/…
Apple has become a worse monopolist than Microsoft has ever been. Microsoft did a lot of bad stuff during the 90s, but never thought they were owed 30% commission on all business generated through Windows. https://twitter.com/...
“Asked if it was upward of $10 billion, Mr. Cook said he didn't know.” Um. He didn't know?? How can Cook, CEO of Apple, not KNOW if Google gives more or less than $10BN to make its search iOS' default? Are we rly supposed to believe such a massive detail is beneath his pay grade?…
lol Apple think even if they allow other payment methods, they are still entitled to get a cut for transactions happened within an app 😛 https://twitter.com/...
To me, this has always seemed like the most reasonable, market-friendly end state. The “can iOS continue be the walled garden it's customers keep choosing” question is separate from “can apple exploit the walls of said garden to aggressively rent-seek”. Should be (1) yes, (2) no.…
This just sounds really bad. Microsoft, for instance, loves developers. They encourage them to build apps. You can but don't have to sell them through Microsoft. Apple really hates developers. Seriously. They hate us. Everything they say is “we've done this for you.” https://twit…
Is Tim Cook not aware ... that the Mac is also a platform that Apple owns completely, yet they don't exact a “commission” from every dollar every company makes with a Mac? (Not to give him any ideas ...) https://twitter.com/...
Don't worry if Apple's grip on in-app purchase is outlawed they'll just find a slightly more indirect way of getting the same money https://twitter.com/...
‘But Epic just want their own App Store’ One of the major contributing factors to the success of iPhone & the technological revolution it sparked is how Apple wrested control away from the carriers — ‘orifices’ as Steve Jobs called them. Apple has become the orifice.
Cook says he doesn't remember the exact number of dollars Google pays to be the default search engine on the iPhone and says he doesn't know if the DoJ estimate is correct. He also says he doesn't know why Google did the deal. “You would have to ask them what they pay for.”
That @tim_cook had no idea 40% of his developers are “very dissatisfied” with Apple goes a long way towards explaining why Apple's developer relations are so godawful. https://www.theverge.com/...
Epic cites internal emails claiming Apple makes an 80% profit margin on its app store. Tim Cook says that doesn't reflect the full cost of running it. https://www.wsj.com/...
Timothy. No. Just...no. I feel like this is the most bonkers quote to ever come from an Apple exec's mouth but I'm sure I'm forgetting something. https://twitter.com/...
Apple does a far better job reviewing apps for iPhone and iPad users than third-party companies, CEO Tim Cook testified in a high-stakes antitrust battle with Epic Games. https://blawgo.com/w4lcdNZ
Last day of Epic v. Apple testimony starts in 20! Apple is calling Tim Cook to bring its side home, with a brief followup by Apple's expert infosec witness Aviel Rubin. https://twitter.com/...
Cook on the stand answering questions about App Store curation and approvals: “We're not making a moral judgement on them, if that's what you're asking” Here are the App Store review guidelines, where the first rule is about “objectionable content” https://developer.apple.com/ ..…
I haven't written about this much but I think Apple's app store rent-extraction has passed into “worse than a crime” territory and a better CEO would just not do it.
“In his Epic v. Apple trial testimony, Tim Cook offered a carefully tended ignorance that left many of the lawsuit's key questions unanswered, or unanswerable” Translation: He lied on the stand, then.
I can't believe that Apple keeps testifying that it doesn't know how much profit it makes from the App Store. It's just an insane declaration. On financial statements, Apple publicly reports Services business with ~63% margins. App Store is most of that. Done.
“It has nothing to do with money.” Tim Cook presented Apple as a principled company obsessively focused on benefiting its users in his first-ever court appearance this morning. https://www.cnn.com/...
Apple's @tim_cook says App Store would be ‘toxic’ mess without control, gets harsh questions from judge in #epicvapple trial https://news.yahoo.com/... via @YahooNews #AFP
After 3 hours on the stand with a small break📱 #Apple CEO #TimCook flashes the peace sign ✌️ just like he did heading in! No smoking guns with some pointed back and forths with #Epic #fortnite lawyers 1st time on the witness stand in a courtroom for $aapl boss uneventful https://…
Tim Cook defended against accusations that Apple's an illegal monopoly, via its tight grip on apps & purchases in its App Store. The judge sounded skeptical: “The lack of competition on the 30% [commission Apple charges] is something that is troubling.” https://www.npr.org/...
I just spit out my coffee at this: Lawyer: What's it like to try to switch from an iPhone to Android? Tim Cook: “It's gotten much easier.” I would love watch Tim try to move all his iPhone data to a Samsung phone! I've lost whole days trying. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
It's incredible to hear Tim Cook argue the iPhone App Store faces competition from app stores on ... other devices. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
I suppose this boils down to Cook just not being as knowledgable about the App Store and all the nuance. Schiller was not only heavily involved since before the App Store even launched, but has been the Apple exec most engaged in every aspect of the App Store these past 13 years.
Schiller got away clean, but Cook is coming off terribly under cross examination. Sure seems like he's lying about not being aware of certain things, flat out denying things that require nuance to deny, etc. https://twitter.com/...
Apple's lawyer tried to introduce a news article today regarding @Snapchat saying they are fine paying the 30% commission. The judge wouldn't allow it.
The Judge is pressing Tim Cook now... *mini thread* all paraphrasing: You said you focus on users. I've seen evidence that lots of revenue comes from gamers. A v significant amount, right? Cook agrees games are the majority of in-app purchase
I would submit that YGR's last barrage was pretty dramatic. She clearly was skeptical that what Apple reaps from game developers is justified by what Apple provides or that it faces real competitive on either IAP rates or for attracting developers. https://twitter.com/...
This trial has had nothing like a Perry Mason Moment, but if you were a Hollywood director making a film on it you'd focus almost entirely on the last 90m and specifically the last 5m.
Judge: ok but let's talk banking apps. I suspect other than the $99 annual fee you don't charge Wells Fargo — correct, Cook says — but you are charging gamers, who subsidise the banking apps, no? (Great questioning)
Overall a good day for Tim Cook. No real headlines that can be used against Apple in the future. The thing the press has latched on to is Judge YGR's pointed questioning, but only within the frame of “wow she's skeptical.”
“when Cook was asked about Apple's deal with Google that keeps the search engine as the default on iOS. Cook said he didn't remember the specific numbers.” 😂😂😂 https://techcrunch.com/...
In all seriousness, I think the App Store is awesome. Apple created something really valuable, and Google rightly did the same. I support its existence. The reason I push back is I worry about the next great things that won't get built on top. There's a middle ground here.
They've also gone down on App Store specifically. I remember when Super Monkey Ball launched at $10 in 2008. Now, it's much more likely to see games release freemium. $5 would be considered a lot today. Exception: Final Fantasy ports. Holy moly are they pricey for App Store https…
No, it's akin to if you buy an iPhone at Best Buy, and in the box there's information directing you to their website WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENS https://twitter.com/...
A bit of courtroom drama this morning as Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stand in the Epic v Apple trial. Because Covid, the public can actually listen to it live. But if you just want to read the important updates, we'll be posting them live here. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ..…