As someone who uses both the Apple ecosystem, and Spotify, I don't feel this article is very forthcoming -- and isn't painting a complete picture.
Apple requires that Spotify and other digital services pay a 30% tax on purchases made through Apple's payment system, including upgrading from our Free to our Premium service.
I made an account on their webpage, and signed up to pay them via PayPal. I'm sure PayPal is taking a cut. I certainly believe it's nowhere near 30%, but you're not "forced" to use Apple's payment system for the one type of payment transaction you're going to do.
As an alternative, if we choose not to use Apple's payment system, forgoing the charge, Apple then applies a series of technical and experience-limiting restrictions on Spotify.
I have an account setup, I download the Spotify App from the App store -- and this is claiming that because I didn't pay via Apple that I am limited? Bullshit. Any limitation is there either way.
For example, they limit our communication with our customers -- including our outreach beyond the app. In some cases, we aren't even allowed to send emails to our customers who use Apple.
Again, citation needed. If you sign up via the web, you can easily get a user's email.
Apple also routinely blocks our experience-enhancing upgrades. Over time, this has included locking Spotify and other competitors out of Apple services such as Siri, HomePod, and Apple Watch.
Sure, you don't get the best integration with the ecosystem. I'll totally concede this. But Apple Watch now can control the Spotify app with effectively the same level of control it gives to Apple Music. Siri can control Spotify, but you can't speak out artists and the like. So Apple isn't locking them out, but again I fully concede that they are hindering the experience.
Keep in mind a lot of these plug-ins can be controlled by external hardware. That is, I'm turning a knob on my controller, and the knob on the screen is turning at the same (relative) rate.
It may not fully justify the reason for having such designs, and certainly doesn't explain the need for the brushed aluminium finish mimicry.
I think it's also owed to a lot of people who use the software, would absolutely love to use the hardware solutions if they were available - because knobs and lights are awesome after all. So the whole skeuomorphic design is firmly footed in marketing.
I totally agree with your point in stability.
I'm still using a BlackBerry Z30 that is 3 years old. I'm in the market for an Android, and I think a key driving factor to get a flagship is because I specifically don't want to be buying another phone for another 3 years.
Uber never struck me as intending to be someone's full time 40 - 60 hour working job. The early (innocent) model to me seemed more as the post above stated -- "Got extra time?" then yeah, put that idling car to work. But then people viewed it as a potential for a full-time job when it never really seemed to have the foundation to be such a thing.
That said, I fully acknowledge that there was an aggressive ad campaign showing how much people could make driving for Uber Black etc.
But I think it's a similar thing with AirBnb -- the original "model" as I saw it, was a forum for people to rent out a room BnB STYLE. Where you wake up, and have breakfast with the owners of a property in a far off land before you go off and do a tourism thing or play a gig. But then it's descended into a glorified lodging site to a profitable ends for many.
I think that's part of the issue with the whole gig-economy. Lack of controls around this mean there will be people that try to profit from a model that wasn't quite intended to be used in such a way, and then those that try and squeeze wages out of a job that doesn't really have that much fruit to bear (that again, are hit with the marketing campaigns that also seem to fall outside of any control mechanism).
I totally see them making the $39.95 3.5mm adapter, at least to soften the "blow" in the immediate -- especially when you consider their unit cost on it would probably be less than $1.
Don't forget about the $59.99 adapter that will let you charge and have 3.5mm headphones plugged in simultaneously.
I'm not thrilled with the loss of the 3.5mm jack -- especially with the thought that other manufacturers could follow suit in the next few generations. Even with annoying dongles on the horizon, I don't see the analog hole ever being entirely plugged.
Maybe this will start the push for a better (standardized) Bluetooth protocol? Perhaps one that can actually support lossless audio? I'm sure this would take a number of years before it becomes a standard and widely implemented enough...
And on some remote NSA system somewhere... all of your new accounts will just get aggregated with your old accounts once your profile with the NSA has enough to make a reasonable enough assumption that you're the same person.
Thomas Edison wasn't a creator as much as was a repackager of other people's ideas and whose litigious nature stalled progress in any number of areas.
So I suppose Ellison's comparison of him to Steve Jobs is incredibly apropos.
The people purported to have this video want a rather princely sum. Originally to the tune of $1M, now dropping it to "six figures" which I'll post at around $100,000.
Give me a $25,000 budget and I'll find a Rob Ford look-a-like, hire some wicked makeup artists, and grab some local extras who need some coin and give you a video of Toronto's Mayor doing anything you ask.
That being said, I hope with every fiber of my being that it's true, and this unempathic embarrassment of a human being gets humiliated and run out of town.
Yes, I live in Toronto. Heh.
Anyone else amused that 75% of the comments all pertain to someone posting "Thank God I don't live in the USA"?
Specifically, the use of "God" in that phrase.
Congrats on 15 years!
To mark this auspicious occasion (if for no one 'cept myself), I've finally decided to stop lurking. You'd think this would happen sooner given that you've had 3rd place on my bookmarks toolbar for years. HA.
Hi y'all. Thanks for all who contribute to make this site what it is. Awesome.
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Apple requires that Spotify and other digital services pay a 30% tax on purchases made through Apple's payment system, including upgrading from our Free to our Premium service.
I made an account on their webpage, and signed up to pay them via PayPal. I'm sure PayPal is taking a cut. I certainly believe it's nowhere near 30%, but you're not "forced" to use Apple's payment system for the one type of payment transaction you're going to do.
As an alternative, if we choose not to use Apple's payment system, forgoing the charge, Apple then applies a series of technical and experience-limiting restrictions on Spotify.
I have an account setup, I download the Spotify App from the App store -- and this is claiming that because I didn't pay via Apple that I am limited? Bullshit. Any limitation is there either way.
For example, they limit our communication with our customers -- including our outreach beyond the app. In some cases, we aren't even allowed to send emails to our customers who use Apple.
Again, citation needed. If you sign up via the web, you can easily get a user's email.
Apple also routinely blocks our experience-enhancing upgrades. Over time, this has included locking Spotify and other competitors out of Apple services such as Siri, HomePod, and Apple Watch.
Sure, you don't get the best integration with the ecosystem. I'll totally concede this. But Apple Watch now can control the Spotify app with effectively the same level of control it gives to Apple Music. Siri can control Spotify, but you can't speak out artists and the like. So Apple isn't locking them out, but again I fully concede that they are hindering the experience.
Keep in mind a lot of these plug-ins can be controlled by external hardware. That is, I'm turning a knob on my controller, and the knob on the screen is turning at the same (relative) rate. It may not fully justify the reason for having such designs, and certainly doesn't explain the need for the brushed aluminium finish mimicry. I think it's also owed to a lot of people who use the software, would absolutely love to use the hardware solutions if they were available - because knobs and lights are awesome after all. So the whole skeuomorphic design is firmly footed in marketing.
Forget HD -- we're going HHD!
I totally agree with your point in stability. I'm still using a BlackBerry Z30 that is 3 years old. I'm in the market for an Android, and I think a key driving factor to get a flagship is because I specifically don't want to be buying another phone for another 3 years.
Uber never struck me as intending to be someone's full time 40 - 60 hour working job. The early (innocent) model to me seemed more as the post above stated -- "Got extra time?" then yeah, put that idling car to work. But then people viewed it as a potential for a full-time job when it never really seemed to have the foundation to be such a thing. That said, I fully acknowledge that there was an aggressive ad campaign showing how much people could make driving for Uber Black etc. But I think it's a similar thing with AirBnb -- the original "model" as I saw it, was a forum for people to rent out a room BnB STYLE. Where you wake up, and have breakfast with the owners of a property in a far off land before you go off and do a tourism thing or play a gig. But then it's descended into a glorified lodging site to a profitable ends for many. I think that's part of the issue with the whole gig-economy. Lack of controls around this mean there will be people that try to profit from a model that wasn't quite intended to be used in such a way, and then those that try and squeeze wages out of a job that doesn't really have that much fruit to bear (that again, are hit with the marketing campaigns that also seem to fall outside of any control mechanism).
I totally see them making the $39.95 3.5mm adapter, at least to soften the "blow" in the immediate -- especially when you consider their unit cost on it would probably be less than $1. Don't forget about the $59.99 adapter that will let you charge and have 3.5mm headphones plugged in simultaneously.
I'm not thrilled with the loss of the 3.5mm jack -- especially with the thought that other manufacturers could follow suit in the next few generations. Even with annoying dongles on the horizon, I don't see the analog hole ever being entirely plugged. Maybe this will start the push for a better (standardized) Bluetooth protocol? Perhaps one that can actually support lossless audio? I'm sure this would take a number of years before it becomes a standard and widely implemented enough ...
An excellent weighing-in on the recent fluctuation. Bitcoins: The Second Biggest Ponzi Scheme in History
I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.
Where I am going, you cannot follow.
And on some remote NSA system somewhere ... all of your new accounts will just get aggregated with your old accounts once your profile with the NSA has enough to make a reasonable enough assumption that you're the same person.
Thomas Edison wasn't a creator as much as was a repackager of other people's ideas and whose litigious nature stalled progress in any number of areas. So I suppose Ellison's comparison of him to Steve Jobs is incredibly apropos.
The people purported to have this video want a rather princely sum. Originally to the tune of $1M, now dropping it to "six figures" which I'll post at around $100,000. Give me a $25,000 budget and I'll find a Rob Ford look-a-like, hire some wicked makeup artists, and grab some local extras who need some coin and give you a video of Toronto's Mayor doing anything you ask. That being said, I hope with every fiber of my being that it's true, and this unempathic embarrassment of a human being gets humiliated and run out of town. Yes, I live in Toronto. Heh.
Anyone else amused that 75% of the comments all pertain to someone posting "Thank God I don't live in the USA"? Specifically, the use of "God" in that phrase.
Congrats on 15 years! To mark this auspicious occasion (if for no one 'cept myself), I've finally decided to stop lurking. You'd think this would happen sooner given that you've had 3rd place on my bookmarks toolbar for years. HA. Hi y'all. Thanks for all who contribute to make this site what it is. Awesome.