This has been the case since software vendors had plug ins to print landscape on Lotus 123.
In the case of Apple, Connectix claim to fame was utilities like SoeedDoubler (a better 68K emulator for PPC Macs), Ram Doubler (a better memory management utility for Macs that wasn’t a scam like the Windows utilities) and Copy Doubler.
Apple built their own Gen 2 68K emulator. But Speed Doubler was still faster.
In the modern era, Apple did acquire Dark Sky for better weather APIs and an apps and the company behind Automator.
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.
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.
_mlbt•5mo ago
ncr100•5mo ago