MacStories has also published their write-up on the App Store changes for the Digital Markets Act. The more I think through the system Apple is attempting, the more it becomes clear the Core Technology Fee is not compliant with the DMA. Marketplaces simply cannot work with the CTF in place.
@manton From what I read the CTF applies to installs AFTER a million app installs, right? Is Apple’s estimate of this affecting fewer than 1% apps inaccurate? I’m likening this to a wealth tax that Liz Warren is advocating for high-wealth individuals.
@pratik For marketplace apps, though, the CTF is applied immediately with the first install, so it’s effectively 100% of marketplace apps, not 1%. And anyway, is Apple the IRS now? This is the problem. 🙂
@manton I meant the CTF will apply for installs only after the millionth install, right? From Macstories:
Another mitigating factor is that developers only pay the CTF for the installations in excess of that first 1 million.
My wealth tax comparison was that it will affect only the top 1% of developers, right?
@pratik There are two separate things: for regular developers, yes, it only applies after a million installs; but for marketplaces, it applies from the first download. If I want to open "Micro.blog Marketplace", I have to pay the CTF even if only 5 people download it. (This detail is not covered in the MacStories post.)
@manton There is an additional requirement for marketplace apps to be open to reviewing all apps of a certain category. You wouldn't be able to just have a marketplace app of micro.blog apps. This is from a macrumors article. I couldn't find details on the developer site.