Elon Musk says he ‘will speak with Tim Cook’ about changing App Store commission rules

Elon Musk hopes to do what no one before him has done: convince Apple CEO Tim Cook to change the cut it takes of in-app transactions via the App Store.

In a post on Twitter today touting the benefits of supporting creators, Musk said that he is going to “speak with Tim Cook” about making changes to this policy.

As it stands today, Twitter users can subscribe to other Twitter users via the iOS app in order to support them every month. Because those subscriptions use Apple’s in-app purchase system, Apple takes a 30% cut as part of the App Store guidelines.

On Twitter’s side, Musk is making a change to the revenue that it keeps from these subscriptions. In the past, Twitter would take nothing for the first 12 months, then 10% moving forward. Now, Musk says that Twitter will take nothing until the total payout exceeds $100,000. Then, it will take 10% of subscription revenue, but the first 12 months are still free:

While we had previously said that 𝕏 would keep nothing for the 12 months, then 10%, we are amending that policy to 𝕏 keeps nothing forever, until payout exceeds $100k, then 10%. First 12 months is still free for all.

Musk is hoping (likely hopelessly) that Apple will adjust its agreement such that it only takes 30% of what Twitter itself keeps, not the total value of every subscription transaction.

“Apple does take 30%, but I will speak with Tim Cook and see if that can be adjusted to be just 30% of what 𝕏 keeps in order to maximize what creators receive,” Musk says.

Elon Musk has been a vocal critic of Apple’s App Store guidelines in the past, referring to the “secret” App Store fee as “like having a 30% tax on the Internet.” He has also expressed his support for Epic Games, which is currently embroiled in a years-long legal battle with Apple over App Store rules.

Musk visited Apple Park last November to meet with Tim Cook. At the time, Musk said he had a “good conversation” with the Apple CEO.

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