South Korea may ban Apple, Google from forcing store payment systems on app devs

South Korea is potentially on its way to tweaking its Telecommunications Business Act to stop Apple and Google from taking a cut of in-app purchases after a bill was approved by a committee of its National Assembly. The bill was put to a vote on Wednesday by the country's legislation and judiciary committee, but it still has …

[Warm Braw]

It would be great if we could applaud this development (and indeed this one) as a fearless legal intervention in favour of the consumer - it's certainly one other countries would do well to emulate. On the other hand...

Still, take what you can get, I suppose.

[Pascal Monett]

"only relevant for less than"

Don't care.

If it is that irrelevant, then don't impose it.

If you do impose it, then it is relevant to more than whatever puny excuse you come up with.

[elsergiovolador]

Shaking

It's quite telling that governments of so many countries are shaking just about the thought of making those companies paying tax.

How many approaches did they make begging on their knees so that those mighty corporations pay even a little?

So I respect Koreans for that move. It's a tiny tiny one, but hopefully the one that will fall the first domino.

[sanmigueelbeer]

Re: Shaking

It's quite telling that governments of so many countries are shaking just about the thought of making those companies paying tax

This is why there was an "emergency" 2021 G7 Summit in Cornwall.

With the COVID-19 pandemic raging for almost a year and many countries' treasury are running on empty. Governments cannot impose more taxes on their citizens unless they want an angry mob on the streets.

Various government had to "convince" Ireland to accept the across-the-board 15%. Ireland, of course, was not happy but it had to be done.

[Falmari]

No sympathy

I have no sympathy for Apple or Google, they have brought it on themselves. But S Korea’s proposed law is not the way to do it.

It does not solve the real problem, lack of competition due to abuse of their enforced monopoly. In Apple’s case as the only store in town and in Google’s by making it difficult to get from any store but theirs.

For paid-for apps they still get to set the cut they take. What’s to stop them charging 25% if you use another payment system 30% if you use their payment system.

For in App purchase why would they have the app in their store? Why should they if they are not going to get any revenue? Which would be the case for Epic’s game.

The fix is to remove the restrictions to competition, by allowing users to easily purchase/download apps from other stores or direct from the app publisher.

[gnasher729]

Will alternative stores have to pay for iOS and Android development, support etc. as well? Will they contribute to the cost of supplying free apps? Just curious.

[Falmari]

@gnasher729 "Will alternative stores have to pay for iOS and Android development, support etc. as well?" Why, would you expect them to? Would you expect that for Mac or windows?

[doublelayer]

"Will alternative stores have to pay for iOS and Android development, support etc. as well?"

No.

"Will they contribute to the cost of supplying free apps?"

No.

Just like the existing ones. Apple develops IOS, and it doesn't get the right to tax any user of that operating system. It decides how much to sell the hardware for. It decides when to cut people off of software updates. It could, if it wanted, charge for software updates like it did ten years ago. Just because they spend money on something doesn't mean that I am obliged to pay for it.