Microsoft app store developers will now get 100% of app revenue of their apps or games.
One of the current conflicts in the technological world is of the commissions. The commissions are what have led Apple to face Epic Games in a lawsuit, mainly because Apple does not allow developers to use either their own payment gateway or one of third parties in their apps, since that way they could not keep the relevant commission.
The commissions, in short, are in the spotlight and Microsoft, during the presentation of Windows 11, threw an important glove on Apple. From next July 28, developers who publish apps in the Microsoft Store will not only be able to use their own payment gateway or one of third parties, but will also be able to keep 100% of the revenue generated.
Off commissions of the app store
Currently, when a developer publishes an app in the Microsoft App Store, he can use the Microsoft Commerce platform, whose distributions are 85/15 for apps and 88/12 for games. That is, if a user makes a micropayment of ten euros within the app using this platform, the developer receives 8.5 euros and Microsoft keeps 1.5 euros.
That is precisely what changes from now on. From July 28, developers will be able to implement their own payment gateway or use a third-party one. That way, and in Microsoft’s words, “they won’t have to pay Microsoft any commission. They can keep 100% of the revenue.”
This move makes sense: boost the development of Windows applications that are published in the Microsoft Store. It has been something celebrated by one of the great personalities of the conflict of the commissions, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, who on his Twitter profile has reacted to this news saying that “Microsoft’s version of 2021 is the best version of all “.
And it is curious that it is Tim Sweeney who reacts in this way because this new payment policy does not apply to video games. In games the commissions will remain the same, 88/12. In any case, it is a significantly lower commission than Apple’s, which is 70/30 except for developers making less than a million dollars, which is 85/15, and similar to that of the Epic Games Store (88 / 12).
According to a study by the Game Developers Conference, only 3% of developers believe that the 70/30 ratio is justified
As far as applications are concerned, from this week Windows developers will be able to publish any type of application in the Microsoft Store, regardless of the framework or packaging technology. In fact, Microsoft ensures that Win32, .NET, UWP, Xamarin, Electron, React Native, Java and even progressive web applications (PWA) can be uploaded. It is clear that Windows 11 comes together with a strong commitment to the Microsoft Store and the company is clear about how to make it a more attractive platform for developers.
Wait, Microsoft has more open doors: Android app support hits Chrome OS in the face
Opening the door to other payment platforms is something especially striking and of course it is quite a smack for Apple’s strategy with its App Store, but Microsoft reserved another surprise for us yesterday: the support of Android applications.
In Windows 11 it will be possible to run Android apps thanks to two unique elements. The first, Intel’s Bridge technology, a “post-compiler” that at runtime (that is, in real time) allows applications designed for other platforms to run on x86 devices.
The proposal is remarkable because it will stand up to its competitors: Apple announced support for iOS apps on macOS with Big Sur last year, but even more interesting is the fact that ChromeOS, Google’s operating system, offers support for Android applications. for years.
Microsoft’s announcement allows Windows 11 not to be left behind in that singular openness to mobile platforms, but as we said in this scenario there is a second relevant element. This is the agreement with the Amazon application store, which will from now on be integrated with the Microsoft Store and which will allow us to search for applications from one platform or another to install and run them on our computer. That deal is also eye-catching and raises an immediate question: why didn’t Microsoft partner directly with Google?
Difficult to know, but of course both novelties of the App Store open new fronts in the rivalry that Microsoft maintains with both Apple and Google in various fields. All of them now pose particularly versatile alternatives for both end users and business users, but all of them – especially in the case of Microsoft and Apple – want to attract developers so that their application ecosystems win in full.
More information | Microsoft