cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/59469059

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[–] 13 points 7 months ago (1 child)

They provide the payment system. They also mandate it.

If you subscribe on the website you don't have to pay the extra. It's only for subscriptions initiated via the app

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    An app you can only get via the Apple store, mandated by Apple?

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Most likely the app exists just because people don't know how to type patreon.com into the browser anymore

    Full functionality is available on the web AFAIK. And if you subscribe on the web, there's no Apple cut, but you can still use the app to see said content.

    It's an inconvenience, but a super easy one to get past and not exclusive to Patreon so a trick any Apple users should know anyway if they enjoy paying subscriptions for things (Netflix, Spotify, whatever)

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 child)

    I too assume the Patreon App doesn't do anything that cannot be done on their web page. I can imagine there are good dev reasons but also bad incentives to make it an app.

    I am biased against Apple as I like being the one in control of my hardware/software.. but is it a stretch to say Apple influence their users to use apps instead of web pages (so they can rent-seek a cut)?

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    Your opinion of Apple is generally valid, but as an Apple user for the last few years, I've never actually seen Apple push me to install an app. It's always the website itself saying "it's even better in the app!" or something.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah. But why would you use the app? I personally didn’t know there even was an app.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Maybe it offers something better than on whatever web browser Apple mandates, or maybe no reason but user preference.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    There’s no way that the Patreon app isn’t more than a dolled up web view. If people make stupid decisions I guess the fallout is on them.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

    Sadly the fallout is usually on everyone - eventually companies will copy a shady practice as it's been shown they can get away with it.. until no other option for the users exists. It falls on the technologically literate to call out when others are being mistreated or they can suffer too.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    PWAs aren't great on iPhone... They intentionally limit some functionality to push people towards the App Store.

    Some people want everything as apps for some reason.

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