This article is from July, would appreciate a title tag.
This is effectively a re-post from yesterday, a way to take two bites out of the same Apple.
Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
11–20 of 39 posts
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#12The world of atoms is the same as the world of bits: you really want to control the means of distribution. Uncreative product managers at platform companies target the most successful apps first. You can pick the winners of the evolutionary process, take a skim while you're learning and then copy them with something using private APIs. I don't think that's wrong necessarily but people seem shocked every time it happe…
My question is, why aren't the folks at the platform companies who do this worried about biting the hand that feeds them? Haven't they seen platforms get pilloried before? Aren't they worried about alienating developers and decreasing the value of the platform? Or is it the death of a thousand cuts, where each product manager thinks "ah, just this one time won't hurt"?
Apple-based developers are especially locked in, sometimes by an entire career of platform-specific experience. Whatever the limit is for how badly Apple can abuse them, it's probably higher on the app store than anywhere else.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#13The world of atoms is the same as the world of bits: you really want to control the means of distribution. Uncreative product managers at platform companies target the most successful apps first. You can pick the winners of the evolutionary process, take a skim while you're learning and then copy them with something using private APIs. I don't think that's wrong necessarily but people seem shocked every time it happe…
My question is, why aren't the folks at the platform companies who do this worried about biting the hand that feeds them? Haven't they seen platforms get pilloried before? Aren't they worried about alienating developers and decreasing the value of the platform? Or is it the death of a thousand cuts, where each product manager thinks "ah, just this one time won't hurt"?
I don't develop for mobile OSs precisely because I don't trust them. But I imagine that if I thought I had to I would feel like there is only one place to go, and they are just as bad.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#14And could someone please explain where there's an expectation of equal access and right to appear with a certain preference in a closed app store's search results? Or not to have your app's functionality copied by anyone else?
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#15The world of atoms is the same as the world of bits: you really want to control the means of distribution. Uncreative product managers at platform companies target the most successful apps first. You can pick the winners of the evolutionary process, take a skim while you're learning and then copy them with something using private APIs. I don't think that's wrong necessarily but people seem shocked every time it happe…
Then what’s the point of even building an app if it’s going to be ripped off as soon as gets traction? I sometimes wonder what the iOS ecosystem would look like if Apple took stewardship of the App Store seriously. If developers weren’t constantly under threat of some bogus copycat app or IP theft from Apple, what would that do the app ecosystem? It’s hard to see how it would hurt Apple, but perhaps I’m blind to the…
What's the point of even building a website if Google is just going to scrape the information and put in a SERP? You need to add value and build a relationship with your customer.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then what’s the point of even building an app if it’s going to be ripped off as soon as gets traction? I sometimes wonder what the iOS ecosystem would look like if Apple took stewardship of the App Store seriously. If developers weren’t constantly under threat of some bogus copycat app or IP theft from Apple, what would that do the app ecosystem? It’s hard to see how it would hurt Apple, but perhaps I’m blind to the…
One obvious downside would be that Apple could no longer copy the most successful apps and make money from them.
They make money from the most successful apps that aren't theirs, though. 30% is admittedly less than 100%, but if the market is 4x, Apple wins more with the former. Also, the 30% doesn't require much developer time (sure, you have to maintain the app store, but that is amortized over many many apps).
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then what’s the point of even building an app if it’s going to be ripped off as soon as gets traction? I sometimes wonder what the iOS ecosystem would look like if Apple took stewardship of the App Store seriously. If developers weren’t constantly under threat of some bogus copycat app or IP theft from Apple, what would that do the app ecosystem? It’s hard to see how it would hurt Apple, but perhaps I’m blind to the…
One obvious downside would be that Apple could no longer copy the most successful apps and make money from them.
Sure, and that might affect them short term.
But Android’s App Store isn’t any better IMO, and if Apple put effort into drawing talent towards their mobile ecosystem and letting them flourish without being worried about Apple screwing them, they might be better off overall.
Their strategy of ratcheting up phone prices isn’t sustainable and they’re losing users to cheaper phones with similar specs. The relative parity (and lack of quality) between both app stores doesn’t help them, and improving the app ecosystem could help, but idk.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#18And could someone please explain where there's an expectation of equal access and right to appear with a certain preference in a closed app store's search results? Or not to have your app's functionality copied by anyone else?
There's an expectation when your platform is the only option. This wouldn't be a problem at all if Apple allowed alternative app stores. Since that is not allowed, any anticompetitive behavior they exhibit in their store is ripe for a lawsuit. Apple has a 100% monopoly on the distribution of ALL iOS software.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#19And could someone please explain where there's an expectation of equal access and right to appear with a certain preference in a closed app store's search results? Or not to have your app's functionality copied by anyone else?
The App store is the de facto access to applications for a large enough part of the public that it should be regulated by the public. Just like you can't sell poisonous food in your "closed" restaurant or can't sell dangerous electrical appliances in your "closed" electronic store.
Applications stores are public markets and should be regulated as such.
Re: Apple Dominates App Store Search Results, Thwarting Competitors
#20And could someone please explain where there's an expectation of equal access and right to appear with a certain preference in a closed app store's search results? Or not to have your app's functionality copied by anyone else?
Apple wants to claim the App Store is just a store, that it being closed and no option to install another store does not equal monopolistic tactics. That can only fly if they also don't abuse their privileged position to undercut app competitors.
It's no different than Standard Oil giving itself preferential shipment prices on the rails. This is text-book anti-competitive behavior.
So yes, in a regulated environment where monopolistic tactics are supposed to be verboten, we are supposed to have a right to at least be on equal standing with Apple's own apps.