Elon Musk Calls App Store Fees a "Global Internet Tax" and Sides With Epic Games

Many people think Elon Musk is a genius. What he is (in my opinion) is a marketing genius.

 

I think he meets the general definition of genius. He has a double degree in economics and physics. He's started multiple successful companies in different industries. Companies that he's not only a great marketer for but obviously shows a talent for leadership and operational management. He basically learned rocket engineering on his own and Tom Mueller/Jim Cantrell (two extremely well established rocket engineers) basically said Elon designed large portions of the raptor engine himself.

He's definitely good at marketing in a weird way - but I think he's shown some high degree of intellect in a number of areas.

That being said he's also had some horrible takes on things, tends to treat his employees as expendable and can be kind of a pompous asshole.

 

"Fortnite accounted for only 10% of the company's overall income" Only? Its a staggering amount of money when you consider their overall income...

 

Well considering Blackrock and Vanguard own Apple and Epic Games none of this means anything.

 

Dear Elon Musk

Imagine Apple as a Faraway planet....if you visit, you must abide by their rules...otherwise don't go there.

Best regards, Airbud.

 

Musk isn't wrong but Apple's response is a fair one: if you don't like it, leave. I practice what I preach - I don't give money to companies that abuse their position or are funding the wrong people. I have never bought an Apple product, I never will, and I often discourage people from doing so as well. None of that changes the fact it's their right to charge whatever they want and regulate what ends up in their marketplace. I'm so sick of this "I don't like this and therefore you need to stop doing it" attitude. How about find real problems to worry about, that are actually immoral and/or a threat to you? If you are an app developer for iOS, either suck it up, move to a different marketplace, or reflect upon your career path. Much like literal taxes, you're either paying for a better environment, or, you're paying for desirability. Apple's marketplace is both, which is why developers keep supporting them despite the significant losses and wrist-slapping.

 

I think the love/hate relationship that Apple inspire is actually a marketing plan by Apple. It makes their supporters feel they are on a war footing with everyone getting at Apple, that makes the support stronger - same basic technique that's kept North Korean's in line for generations.

 

i've owned Apple products since the 80's
i still own Apple products, but i am platform agnostic. which goes against Apple's plans as they've moved away from the hardware geek to a plug n play ethos that started back with the Mac.
this forum is going to be one of their hardest audiences...
i don't believe the app store is a tax as much as a controlling gatekeeper screwing with "my stuff".

 

I agree - Apple has created a bit of a culture, which people are more likely to defend. It's trendy to have their logo on non-Apple products. Phone cases like to make little windows just so you can see the logo on the back. Owning a Mac says "I have taste and money, and I'm the creative type" (even if you're none of those things). Apple's publicized events have always been a big deal, and their buildings have a certain aesthetic.
Blind patriotism to a brand (or country) is an easy way to make your life worse. Apple has considerably more zealots than just about any other tech company, and they're the reason this "tax" persists.

 

I think everyone should dump Apple for general computing--the company has nothing to offer--backwards hardware and software compatibility are the last things Apple thinks about for its Mac business and customers. The cult leader is dead and so at least all of that nonsense is over and done. Most of Apple is devoted to cell phones, as cell-phones make up 90% of Apple's income! Basically, Apple really doesn't care about its Mac business these days--that's strictly small-time these days. Cook still gives lip service to the Mac but isn't remotely interested in making competitive products. Apple's attitude for the Mac has never been more "take it or leave it, we don't care!" than it is today. Little wonder: Apple simply doesn't even need a Mac business to survive and prosper. The company's Mac business is all about n00bs--always has been--gouging the gullible and the inexperienced is Apple's habit. Being overcharged and underserved is the forte' of Apple's Mac business, and Apple is particularly good at doing both. Kind of amusing to think that Apple has "transitioned" away from the Mac almost entirely... Apple loves its transitions. Hard Pass.

 

i don't think you're wrong but i do think you missed a spot
Apple is the biggest and bestest (lol) at mobile computing. the M1 is a tour-de-force and any travelling professional notices the difference, with quite a few caring about it. i have a 5g iPad (2020 Air) that's categorically better than any tablet.
mobile + homegrown ARM = bright future regardless of my desire to open up chassis and screw with parts.

 

5 years ago when Tesla was struggling, Musk asked Apple CEO Tim Cook if Apple interested in buying Tesla. Cook refused to meet. Tesla was then 6% of its current value.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1421150913075503112?s=20

Good thing Tesla worked out for him. Thing I love about Musk is he is very self-driven and doesnt give a crap about what others may think about him or his unconventional business style. He'll smoke weed in interviews on YT or jump into very risky ventures (Space-X) or just say stuff that roils the markets or upsets ppl. Almost undisciplined, but I admire that.

 

This is hilarious. If he really became the CEO of Apple, he'd just so defend the app store cut model in a way he does now condemn it.
Oh, and EPIC charges that "tax" as well. Is that right, just because it 's less than Apple's? If it's not, Musk should stay true and say that Epic's not better, just because they charge less.

And by the way, this is none of his business anyway. There's courts who will decide how this is handled, Musk's tweets usually are just kindling more flames for amusement. So are his rambles just an opinion, or is he deliberately and with intention manipulating public opinions and markets for his own agenda? No one will ever know for sure (not even him).

Even worse, when people follow his sayings undifferentiated, and without forming their own opinion which may or may not correlate with Musk's.
But imagining Sweeney and Musk now both sitting next to each other, complaining about app store cuts... this picture just reduces both of their credibility for me. Just my opinion.

 

There is a book mentioning the rumor that he also wanted to be Apple CEO. Musk denies that and says it never happened and never spoke with Cook.

 

Blackrock is more obscure than the name... go deeper and you will found out.

 

So I decided to go back and calculate the total amount of money Apple has gotten from me in the last 14 years.

* tip tap tip tap tap tap tippidy tap scribble scribble *

$0.0

 

Musk is really climbing down the rabbit hole of his own narcissism while being unable to look critically at his own thoughts anymore.

 

Due to Apple, you are paying a LOT more than that when you buy your next GPU or your next non--Apple phone. They have a significant part of the semi-conductor industry tied down with their massive chip orders and it will be reflected in increased pricing of all products. Apple by far surpass Nvidia and AMD combined with their chip requirements. They are even more responsible for the chip shortages than miners are.

 

Ehh you can just as easily make the argument that Apple subsidizes the cost. I also disagree about the chip shortages. Apples demand has been consistent for years.. it's not like they doubled orders randomly. It's forecasted in advance and TSMC or whomever has years to build fabs to meet that demand. Something like mining or COVID orders are completely unpredictable and can just as easily vanish as randomly as it came.. so there is no way to anticipate and meet that need.