Apple has the power to end all these regulatory battles, it just won't
Apple may not be totally in the wrong when it comes to regulators and developers wanting to change its commission rates, but it has the power to make everyone happy -- and should.
There's not really more I need to say on this one that I didn't say in my story yesterday. These complaints from businesses in Japan are silly, and Epic's role in all of this is frustrating, but that doesn't mean Apple can't fix this.
Here's what I said:
If this constant back and forth is ever going to end, Apple needs to step away from all the noise and develop a solution separate from regulators. Create something that acknowledges it deserves a commission, make it simple, and give developers the ability to compete on merit.
If Apple's App Store and payment system are truly superior and better for users, let that speak for itself. Let's end this convoluted, aggressive compliance and get back to getting customers software safely and economically.
Appeasing regulators while making developers happy with your platform doesn't also have to mean Apple losing out on revenue it deserves. The problem is with its outdated system and inflexibility on changing it.
Not that this is totally Apple's problem to solve. Regulators don't know what they're talking about, but make demands anyway, and many developers think their software merits free access to the ecosystem, because without their apps, the ecosystem would be nothing.
There has to be a middle ground.
Perhaps Craig Federighi can find another way to pay for the bananas at Apple Park instead of charging developers a 30% commission.