Readit NewsInteresting idea.
Ideally the 'Never Monetise' site would record and have a non-removable list of any site which had a hyperlink through to it, as a ledger of the sites that have made this commitment.
If they do then change their policy in the future, this would be independent, verifiable proof of a prior commitment.
I've recently written about a similar topic, regarding an app's commitment to privacy and the cost of not selling user data:
https://www.magiclasso.co/insights/cost-of-privacy/
My post asked a similar question -- how much money could we make if we sold user data instead of committing to a privacy-first approach?
I don't know how applicable my story would be to current Apple developers, but back in 2022 I posted this HN comment when someone asked "What made your business take off that you wish you'd done much earlier?":
Abandoning Macintosh for Windows. Released software for Mac in 1989, but sales stayed flat. Finally released for Windows in 1994, and sales took off. Time and money spent on marketing + engineering had a 10x better ROI under Windows. Gave up on Mac in 1999.
I would say that currently for mobile, iOS still monetises a lot better than Android.
Once you've developed your brand and own your own distribution channel however, the best strategy seems to be to distribute via the App Store (which in many countries Apple doesn't give you any other choice) but monetise via your own site. Netflix etc do this and seem to not see much downside.
How well it works for smaller or new apps however is debatable.
I recently wrote about how Apple now has the most hostile developer ecosystem of any major platform:
https://www.magiclasso.co/insights/apple-development/
Good to see VCs and Y Combinator now supporting and pushing for change.
bentocorp commented on Tim Cook rallying Apple employees around AI efforts bloomberg.com/news/articl... · Posted by u/andrew_lastmile
Serious question: Did Apple employees need rallying?
Also, it sounds like Cook and Federighi just repeated talking points the public has already heard, so I'm not sure what the point of this was.
If there are any current Apple employees here, maybe they can weigh in.
From the reports from Bloomberg etc, yes, it does sound like some Apple AI employees may need rallying.
Though it sounds like what they actually got was fairly in-substantive statements without a clearly articulated AI strategy.
Doesn't mean that Apple doesn't have a promising AI strategy though, if so, it wasn't communicated in this Pep Talk: so what was the point?
Perhaps to look like they are doing something? Are empty words better than no words at all?
Even when you think you're immune to it, Stockholm syndrome is real.
A similar article I wrote on the 'Dark Side' of Apple Development, brings up many additional issues:
https://www.magiclasso.co/insights/apple-development/