Smith was referring to Apple Inc.’s App Store, a Microsoft spokesperson said, though he didn’t specify the iPhone maker in his remarks. European antitrust regulators opened an investigation into Apple’s policies, saying developers may be forced unfairly to provide a share of app store revenue to the company.
“They impose requirements that increasingly say there is only one way to get on to our platform and that is to go through the gate that we ourselves have created,” Smith said. “In some cases they create a very high price per toll -- in some cases 30% of your revenue has to go to the toll keeper.”
Microsoft’s concerns with Apple’s App Store are clear. The software maker, like other developers on Apple’s platform, must give Apple a 15% to 30% cut of any subscription to software such as Microsoft Office or their email program Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft can’t point customers to sign up on its website either as that would circumvent the Apple fee.
As with Spotify Technology SA and others that have made complaints against the app store, Microsoft is competing with Apple services and the iPhone maker doesn’t need to share revenue with anyone else. Apple has argued that it’s the store keeper and takes a fee to support developers and distribute their apps and services.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
