No customer would buy Apple's products, which they sell with large profit margins, if Apple would not invest in its operating system and maintain a way for developers to distribute apps.

Therefore I would challenge the idea that it is fair for developers to pay Apple a 15/26% commission for the privilege of distributing apps.

If developers were one single business that Apple has to deal with to get third party apps made for their phone, they would be paying us a commission instead of the other way around.

I do disagree. They've funded macOS R&D for decades without charging developers anything. Why should iOS be any different?

> The developer program fee.

And the cost of the device sold to end users. And possibly other service fees such as iCloud subscriptions. These are avenues for Apple to earn money to invest in R&D.

Would you rather pay an exorbitant developer program fee upfront before you know your apps will make any money?

The nominal developer program fee is not designed to be Apple's profit generator. It's to keep spammers out.

Imagine if Apple and Google and etc, didn't vendor lock-in.

Imagine we could run what we wanted. Imagine that we could use whatever payment system we wanted.

Imagine if apple wanted you to use Apple app X, it would need to compete and make it amazing, not just lock you in. Same with payment systems.

Imagine if you could replace the battery of your old phone, and use it for as long as you wished. Without Apple forcing upgrades through their usual tactics.

Apple tells me that it won't even accept applications that target pre-13 soon. And then pre-15 next year.

I hate them.

The fact that this is our current state of tech, tells me that all of the politicians are bought, and that the tech sector has rotten.

And you could, should, argue they make it up by charging such a high commission.