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The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

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Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#21

Post by johncolanduoni »

echelon wrote: post #10

Apple had the opportunity to lean on the web and elected not to. With appropriate APIs, web apps can reach into devices and leverage GPU and CPU compute, multiple threads, microphone, camera, on-device storage, and more. HTML and canvas don't have to be the only UI primitives available. Both Google and Apple should be forced to fund the W3C and/or Mozilla in leading development of a cross-platform native experience.…

Both of these companies are already doing that: both are key participants in the WebGPU API development. Google has been particularly committed to this path for years. Apple is mostly going along, the big exception is that they don’t support web push notifications, though they do support app manifests.

Microsoft and Amazon are also seen in these processes, though not as often and their buy in is less important since neither develop their own browser at this point.

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#22

Post by Andrew_nenakhov »

I applaud this. The manufacturer of the device must not control what apps I run on after buying it. Third-party appstores and app sideloading is a must.

(And do not forget third party push-notifications, iOS devices are next to useless without them)

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#23

Post by coldtea »

wvenable wrote: post #18
spullara wrote: post #9

As a consumer, I am 100% in favor of the way run the app store. I don't want to give random apps my credit card. I don't want to have 18 accounts to keep track of. I don't want to have to call telephone support to cancel my account. I don't want malware in my apps. I don't want apps to have my email if they don't need it. I don't need another middleman for content companies license and distribute. Everything Apple is…

The problem isn't how they run their store -- the problem is that they are the only store.

The only store on their product.

Not the only store, period.

There is Android store which has 4 times as many users, and at some point Microsoft had a store but people didn't like it either...

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#24

Post by skuthus »

spullara wrote: post #9

As a consumer, I am 100% in favor of the way run the app store. I don't want to give random apps my credit card. I don't want to have 18 accounts to keep track of. I don't want to have to call telephone support to cancel my account. I don't want malware in my apps. I don't want apps to have my email if they don't need it. I don't need another middleman for content companies license and distribute. Everything Apple is…

You can still have what you want and give people other options. It's called choice. We deserve to be able to choose

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#25

Post by xvector »

Apocryphon wrote: post #20
simonh wrote: post #12

The only monopoly here is Apple’s monopoly on designing its own products. The iPhone, iOS, it’s development tools and the App Store are all Apple products, so Apple gets to decide what features they have. It’s also not unusual for companies to make deals with third parties to include their technology and software in their products, often as optional chargeable extras. That’s all the App Store is, it’s a way to add op…

If the government forces a platform open and hands it over to a consortium of industry leaders, as well as associations of independent developers and open source foundations... sure why not?

Because the government should not have unilateral power over a platform you've poured your own time, money, and effort into developing.

That would be theft. I am honestly amazed that people are still in favor of gross government overreach in the era of Trump.

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#26

Post by coldtea »

Apocryphon wrote: post #20
simonh wrote: post #12

The only monopoly here is Apple’s monopoly on designing its own products. The iPhone, iOS, it’s development tools and the App Store are all Apple products, so Apple gets to decide what features they have. It’s also not unusual for companies to make deals with third parties to include their technology and software in their products, often as optional chargeable extras. That’s all the App Store is, it’s a way to add op…

If the government forces a platform open and hands it over to a consortium of industry leaders, as well as associations of independent developers and open source foundations... sure why not?

>If the government forces a platform open and hands it over to a consortium of industry leaders, as well as associations of independent developers and open source foundations... sure why not?

Because the platform only exists because somebody created it, somebody specific not some consortium.

I don't want my iPhone OS to be created by a consortium, I want it to be run by Apple...

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#27

Post by errantspark »

Apocryphon wrote: post #16
moralsupply wrote: post #7

The article states that Apple is extorting users. Is Apple forcing anybody to use their services?

By not allowing alternate app stores, yes.

What if I just don't write apps for or use apple devices?

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#28

Post by IshKebab »

moralsupply wrote: post #7

The article states that Apple is extorting users. Is Apple forcing anybody to use their services?

That's not what defines a monopoly. Ticketmaster can't just say "We're not forcing you to go to events - you could just sit at home if you want. Therefore we don't have a monopoly!"

I would have thought that is obvious to be honest.

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#29

Post by echelon »

spullara wrote: post #11
echelon wrote: post #10

Apple had the opportunity to lean on the web and elected not to. With appropriate APIs, web apps can reach into devices and leverage GPU and CPU compute, multiple threads, microphone, camera, on-device storage, and more. HTML and canvas don't have to be the only UI primitives available. Both Google and Apple should be forced to fund the W3C and/or Mozilla in leading development of a cross-platform native experience.…

There are plenty of cross-platform native app development platforms.

These are bolted on hacks and don't have the combined support of Apple and Google.

Nevermind the fact that this doesn't solve monopoly of distribution.

Re: The App Store is a monopoly: Here's why the EU is correct to investigate Apple

#30

Post by vogre »

anilshanbhag wrote: post #15
spullara wrote: post #9

As a consumer, I am 100% in favor of the way run the app store. I don't want to give random apps my credit card. I don't want to have 18 accounts to keep track of. I don't want to have to call telephone support to cancel my account. I don't want malware in my apps. I don't want apps to have my email if they don't need it. I don't need another middleman for content companies license and distribute. Everything Apple is…

Well they can do all that with a 10% fee too. The author is contending that by adding those restrictions and a high 30% fee, Apple is acting like a monopoly - it's their way or the highway.

Why do you think that fee is unfair?
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