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Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

bbc.com

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Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#11

Post by easton »

BoysenberryPi wrote: post #7

> She also accused Apple of preventing Tile from using the technology behind Apple's Find My function, giving AirTags an unfair advantage. I am not a person who uses Apple products so someone please clarify for me. Does Apple grant access to this to other people? Can I create a GPS-enabled product and use Apple's SDK to implement "Find My...?"

Yes. They actually talked about this in the event, and one of Tile's competitors (who's name escapes me) is adding it to some of their products.

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/apples-find-my-networ...

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#12

Post by zapzupnz »

superkuh wrote: post #9

Yes, it is a monopoly. You can see the effects in software that doesn't even run on Apple devices. The most recent example is Discord being forced to change their entire platform and software on non-apple OSes just to be allowed to have their software run on Apple's monopoly walled garden.

Example? As far as I know, Discord mainly uses React Native on all platforms, with some iOS and Android specific code on those platforms for integration and performance reasons.

Edit: ahh, you’re talking about content restrictions. They way you phrased your message sounded like you were talking about the technological stack.

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#13

Post by [deleted] »

gonehome wrote: post #8
titzer wrote: post #2

> She also accused Apple of preventing Tile from using the technology behind Apple's Find My function, giving AirTags an unfair advantage. > Apple said the product was different. "We didn't copy Tile's product... It's extremely different to anything else on the market," said Apple's Chief Compliance Officer, Kyle Andeer. lol! yeah right, Kyle.

The irony of Tile's demand was that by Apple opening up Find My to third parties Tile's network effect moat just became irrelevant. Instead of having one serious competitor with a network (Apple) that's only iOS they're now a strict commodity and the "Tile Network" isn't a differentiated advantage. Be careful what you wish for.

[deleted]

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#14

Post by easton »

superkuh wrote: post #9

Yes, it is a monopoly. You can see the effects in software that doesn't even run on Apple devices. The most recent example is Discord being forced to change their entire platform and software on non-apple OSes just to be allowed to have their software run on Apple's monopoly walled garden.

They weren't forced to do it, they did it so they didn't have to have a 17+ rating in the App Store. And then they decided not to.

https://www.theverge.com/tech/2021/4/19/22391675/discord-ios...

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#15

Post by geenew »

It's hard to argue with the claim - if you have an iOS phone or tablet, for example, it is a monopoly, since it's the only place you can buy a program for your computer.

The walled garden has real benefits in security and privacy, but seems to require centralized control, and comes at the expense of user freedom.

A solution to the monopoly pricing problem could be to treat app store controllers (currently A & G) to the same type of control that credit card issuers are subject to, and place a limit on the rates they can charge.

A solution to the security vs freedom question could be to require that users have the option to opt out of app store controls for installing programs.

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#16

Post by c3534l »

I feel like the entire world has forgotten what a monopoly is. Apparently both Apple and Google are monopolies despite being competitors of one another. Programmers clearly talk about developing apps for one platform or another and sometimes give up on developing for one because the approval process was annoying or arbitrary. Consumers have a choice in the phones they buy and whether to even use a phone app for that service to begin with. Maybe this isn't a healthy ecosystem, but it seems we've completely lost the thread on what a monopoly is.

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#17

Post by bombcar »

c3534l wrote: post #16

I feel like the entire world has forgotten what a monopoly is. Apparently both Apple and Google are monopolies despite being competitors of one another. Programmers clearly talk about developing apps for one platform or another and sometimes give up on developing for one because the approval process was annoying or arbitrary. Consumers have a choice in the phones they buy and whether to even use a phone app for that…

Monopoly is anything that does something that I don’t like.

People bitch about Android vs iPhone and ignore the actual local monopolies present in the phone network itself.

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#18

Post by eruleman »

c3534l wrote: post #16

I feel like the entire world has forgotten what a monopoly is. Apparently both Apple and Google are monopolies despite being competitors of one another. Programmers clearly talk about developing apps for one platform or another and sometimes give up on developing for one because the approval process was annoying or arbitrary. Consumers have a choice in the phones they buy and whether to even use a phone app for that…

You're right. It's a duopoly, a cartel.

A system controlled by two players who move in coordination with one another.

techcrunch.com/2021/03/16/google-play-drops-commissions-to-15-from-30-following-apples-move-last-year

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#19

Post by kemayo »

BoysenberryPi wrote: post #7

> She also accused Apple of preventing Tile from using the technology behind Apple's Find My function, giving AirTags an unfair advantage. I am not a person who uses Apple products so someone please clarify for me. Does Apple grant access to this to other people? Can I create a GPS-enabled product and use Apple's SDK to implement "Find My...?"

Apple recently allowed this. Tile's complaint now is that the Apple Find My integration requires that you only work with Find My, so Tile's app (and presumably related subscription products) becomes unnecessary.

Re: Google and Apple attacked on app store 'monopoly'

#20

Post by [deleted] »

easton wrote: post #14
superkuh wrote: post #9

Yes, it is a monopoly. You can see the effects in software that doesn't even run on Apple devices. The most recent example is Discord being forced to change their entire platform and software on non-apple OSes just to be allowed to have their software run on Apple's monopoly walled garden.

They weren't forced to do it, they did it so they didn't have to have a 17+ rating in the App Store. And then they decided not to. https://www.theverge.com/tech/2021/4/19/22391675/discord-ios...

[deleted]
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