According to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday, Apple’s App Store “is like having a 30% tax on the Internet. Definitely not ok.”
Musk added the 30% cut Apple takes from developers is “literally 10 times higher than it should be,” responding to a story about how yesterday’s reported EU antitrust complaint against the iPhone maker’s mobile wallet, Apple Pay, was reportedly spurred by PayPal (via Bloomberg).
PayPal reportedly wants its tap-to-pay feature available on Android on the iPhone, but that would involve Apple opening up Apple Pay to rival payment platforms.
This isn’t the first time Musk has weighed in regarding his disdain towards the App Store and its fee charged to developers. Last July, Musk said, “Apple app store fees are a de facto global tax on the Internet. Epic is right,” referring to the Epic Games lawsuit against the iPhone maker at the time.
Please challenge Tim of Apple to trial by combat 🙏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2021
Musk has previously said he is not an Apple hater, noting he likes and uses the company’s products. “They are just obviously overcharging with App Store. I mean 30% fees for doing almost zero incremental work is completely unreasonable,” said Musk last summer. “Epic wouldn’t bother processing their own payments if App Store fees were fair,” he added.
Actually, I like & use Apple products.
They are just obviously overcharging with App Store. I mean 30% fees for doing almost zero incremental work is completely unreasonable.
Epic wouldn’t bother processing their own payments if App Store fees were fair.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2021
Last November, Musk also told his followers, “Don’t waste your money on that silly Apple Cloth, buy our whistle instead!”, referring to its currently sold-out Cyberwhistle accessory.
