Apple releases study defending App Store’s 30% cut ahead of Tim Cook’s congressional testimony next week

CNBC:

On Wednesday, Apple presented some arguments defending the App Store that could factor into next week’s testimony. While the company says it’s not a preview of what Cook will say at Monday’s hearing, it commissioned a study from Analysis Group released on Wednesday that finds that Apple’s App Store’s fees and practices are largely in line with other digital marketplaces, including the Google Play app store and the Amazon Appstore.

“The commission rates charged by digital marketplaces most similar to the App Store, such as other app stores and video game digital marketplaces, are generally around 30%,” the authors of the study wrote.

The House probe into big technology companies will not result in enforcement, but it may spur legislation that could restrict Apple and other large tech companies.

This is Apple “softening the ground” ahead of Cook’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee along with chief executives from Amazon, Facebook, and Google.