Apple makes money on hardware and a 30% tax on developers. They might have some goodwill but are not making any money on privacy.

▲

adastra22 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

They only get 2.5% of their revenue from app store transactions.

▲

Gareth321 4 days ago | parent [-]

I don't think this is correct. Analysts believe Apple made more than $27.39 billion in commissions globally last year (https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/08/appfigures-apple-made-over...). That's around 7% of global revenue, and we should expect this ratio to be higher this year and next.

	▲	adastra22 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		My search of 2024 numbers stated. $10bn from App Store out of approx $400bn revenue. Which seem to be what is stated in the first tables in that link. I’m not sure who is right, Apple or these analysts, but either way: 2.5% or 7%, that revenue source isn’t large enough to be a corrupting incentive on Apple’s behavior. Maximizing digital service revenue at the cost of user trust which drives their high margin hardware sales would be killing the golden goose.

▲

ChrisMarshallNY 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Yup. But not on advertising.

I wasn't defending Apple. I was merely pointing out that one of these, is not like the other.

Like I said, it seems that we have a hard time understanding business models other than "Harvest and sell data." Posts like the GP, seem to reinforce this appearance.

Upton Sinclair is known for a quote, referencing this kind of thing.

▲

oidar 4 days ago | parent [-]

There are ways to abuse advertising other than harvesting and selling user data - which is a big one. Which apple has already done (https://gizmodo.com/apple-iphone-france-ads-fine-illegal-dat...)For example, the app store places unadvertised apps further down the list on searches or doesn't even show them at all.

▲

ChrisMarshallNY 4 days ago | parent [-]

Still a different thing.

Hating on Apple is quite popular amongst tecchies. I understand. I've probably been more pissed off at Apple, than many folks, here.

But it does bother me, that people don't seem to understand the classic business model of making things, selling things, and supporting things. That's thousands of years old, and still very much relevant. Quite a few folks, here, do that. I spent most of my career, at companies that did it.

▲

oidar 4 days ago | parent [-]

I don't hate apple; I only use apple computers and phones. They are mostly better than any other alternative. But you have to concede that being in the advertising business at any level doesn't do them any favors re: privacy commitments. I only criticize because I want to keep what's good from becoming bad.

	▲	ChrisMarshallNY 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		Fair point. But they are nowhere near the scale of other companies. I feel as if Silicon Valley has really forgotten its hardware roots, though, and that's sad. Making things is really difficult, and extremely risky. Playing with data is really easy, and quite profitable.