Australia's competition watchdog said on Monday new competition laws were required in response to the rapid expansion of digital platforms such as Amazon , Apple , Google , Meta and Microsoft in the country.
I really think Apple screwed the pooch on this one. They had a decade to open up iOS in a more controlled way. They did the opposite, locking out apps on competitive grounds, opening themselves up for obvious antitrust action. Now the decision is going to be out of their hands around the world, and the legislation is far more onerous.
As an EU citizen I cannot WAIT for the DMA to come into effect. I’m genuinely excited to see all the interesting new apps and the creativity which will be allowed to flourish again on the platform.
It’s gonna be a Safari browser based app charging $9.99 a month to essentially load their website inside the app. Notice how those aren’t in the App Store? Apple banned that practice.
Also lots of porn.
And the third party app stores have to survive, so they’ll charge a 30% revenue cut, the same as Apple. Competition doesn’t mean bills don’t suddenly disappear, and salaries don’t magically pay themselves.
And to top it all off, the third party app stores will need Apple’s signature on the certificate of the third party App Store app, which Apple will charge a yearly fee based on revenue.
It’s gonna be a Safari browser based app charging $9.99 a month to essentially load their website inside the app. Notice how those aren’t in the App Store? Apple banned that practice.
The App Store is absolutely, overwhelmingly flooded with garbage subscription apps…
No, competing stores will be a full native app, just as the Digital Markets Act requires.
It is yet to be seen what competitors will charge, however one thing is a universal constant: competition usually brings prices down. Apple makes enormous profits on that 30%. This leaves from for competitors to charge much less and still earn enormous profits.
As for Apple charging a yearly fee to developers, the DMA explicitly prevents that.
FRAND doesn’t apply here. Even if it did, FRAND would require Apple grant access to iOS. The opposite of what you’re claiming. I think the EU knows a little bit more about their laws than you do.
I agree. Apple should’ve known that this would eventually bite them in the ass. I’m actually surprised it’s taken this long.
Apple should’ve made it so that consumers really prefer using the App Store and then open up iOS. Steam isn’t the biggest PC gaming platform because it forces people into it, but because it’s the oldest and most feature friendly. While side loading and third party stores are a thing on Android, most people use Google Play Store out of convenience unless the app is banned or priced too high.
Apple will fight this tooth and nail because digital sales are their second biggest revenue stream and growing, more than Mac or iPad. But I don’t see them winning this long term, and once one country wins a suit against Apples closed garden of apps, the rest will follow if Apple doesn’t make worldwide changes.
I’m genuinely excited to see all the interesting new apps and the creativity which will be allowed to flourish again on the platform.
Likely, we’ll just see decreased quality, new threats and exploit-vectors, scams.
And a few more adult-entertainment-focused apps (that currently Apple doesn’t want).
Just like in Android-land. Or when TV got “liberalized”.
All the use-cases people usually cite (emulators, shells) are really irrelevant to anybody but the absolute tiniest fraction of the user base and IMHO not worth sacrificing the obvious security and stability advantages the current status-quo offers to 100% of the user base.
In reality, all this drama about “choice” is just governments looking to be able to more conveniently install their man-in-the-middle stack for chat-surveillance.
Thing is it’s a private company and you are under no obligation to buy their products. Let customers choose what they want. They’re also not doing this industry wide so it’s really not benefitting people
Thing is the EU and probably Australia don’t care for this kind of corporate apologism and recognise the danger of complete platform lockdown. This just increases customer choice within a platform. If you actually cared about choice you’d applaud it.
I want companies like microsoft, adobe, and others to go through the app store, because otherwise they’re a fucking plague on the system and install a bunch of stupid shit that is hard to get rid off.
But if they go through apples system, getting rid of things is really quite easy.
Probably not as much of an issue on iOS, but if macOS is any indication of what’s in store for sideloading, no fucking thanks, I’d much prefer my walled garden.
"When people say Apple fans are sheep this is what they mean.
there are words for people that talk like this as well, hint none of them are pleasant.
Are you forgetting that Australia isn’t Somalia? They have laws and regulations around competition. If Apple wants to do business in Australia they have to follow the law. “But I don’t want to!” isn’t a good argument.
Actually no. It’s a major computing platform. Your argument is flawed. By you saying this is ok for apple then you must also be ok with the possibility that tomorrow Microsoft can do the same to windows and apple can do it to osx and google to android. What’s good for one has to be acceptable for all. Eventually every platform can be locked to one and only one source of apps completely killing competition.
Argument is flawed how? You are not required to use Apple devices or services. I would argue that their products are a premium purchase if anything. They are nowhere near a majority marketshare in any sector they compete in.
I really think Apple screwed the pooch on this one. They had a decade to open up iOS in a more controlled way. They did the opposite, locking out apps on competitive grounds, opening themselves up for obvious antitrust action. Now the decision is going to be out of their hands around the world, and the legislation is far more onerous.
As an EU citizen I cannot WAIT for the DMA to come into effect. I’m genuinely excited to see all the interesting new apps and the creativity which will be allowed to flourish again on the platform.
It’s gonna be a Safari browser based app charging $9.99 a month to essentially load their website inside the app. Notice how those aren’t in the App Store? Apple banned that practice.
Also lots of porn.
And the third party app stores have to survive, so they’ll charge a 30% revenue cut, the same as Apple. Competition doesn’t mean bills don’t suddenly disappear, and salaries don’t magically pay themselves.
And to top it all off, the third party app stores will need Apple’s signature on the certificate of the third party App Store app, which Apple will charge a yearly fee based on revenue.
The App Store is absolutely, overwhelmingly flooded with garbage subscription apps…
No, competing stores will be a full native app, just as the Digital Markets Act requires.
It is yet to be seen what competitors will charge, however one thing is a universal constant: competition usually brings prices down. Apple makes enormous profits on that 30%. This leaves from for competitors to charge much less and still earn enormous profits.
As for Apple charging a yearly fee to developers, the DMA explicitly prevents that.
No, the DMA cannot stop a FRAND
FRAND doesn’t apply here. Even if it did, FRAND would require Apple grant access to iOS. The opposite of what you’re claiming. I think the EU knows a little bit more about their laws than you do.
I agree. Apple should’ve known that this would eventually bite them in the ass. I’m actually surprised it’s taken this long.
Apple should’ve made it so that consumers really prefer using the App Store and then open up iOS. Steam isn’t the biggest PC gaming platform because it forces people into it, but because it’s the oldest and most feature friendly. While side loading and third party stores are a thing on Android, most people use Google Play Store out of convenience unless the app is banned or priced too high.
Apple will fight this tooth and nail because digital sales are their second biggest revenue stream and growing, more than Mac or iPad. But I don’t see them winning this long term, and once one country wins a suit against Apples closed garden of apps, the rest will follow if Apple doesn’t make worldwide changes.
Likely, we’ll just see decreased quality, new threats and exploit-vectors, scams.
And a few more adult-entertainment-focused apps (that currently Apple doesn’t want).
Just like in Android-land. Or when TV got “liberalized”.
All the use-cases people usually cite (emulators, shells) are really irrelevant to anybody but the absolute tiniest fraction of the user base and IMHO not worth sacrificing the obvious security and stability advantages the current status-quo offers to 100% of the user base.
What does this even mean?
Back when there were only three TV channels…
In reality, all this drama about “choice” is just governments looking to be able to more conveniently install their man-in-the-middle stack for chat-surveillance.
With freedom of choice comes need to act responsibly. Or as some may call it, being an adult.
The vast majority of users clearly are not able to act responsible all the time in all life-situations.
People are flawed.
Which is why the store wont be readily available on the home screen, but through the system settings.
Everyone wins.
And yet society still gives them lots more freedom than Apple does.
Thing is it’s a private company and you are under no obligation to buy their products. Let customers choose what they want. They’re also not doing this industry wide so it’s really not benefitting people
Thing is the EU and probably Australia don’t care for this kind of corporate apologism and recognise the danger of complete platform lockdown. This just increases customer choice within a platform. If you actually cared about choice you’d applaud it.
They are offering something no one else is, the EU want’s to remove it from the market and people who value choice should applaud it?
What are they offering? A closed platform that arbitrarily stops perfectly valid apps over idiotic concerns of “competition”?
When people say Apple fans are sheep this is what they mean.
I want companies like microsoft, adobe, and others to go through the app store, because otherwise they’re a fucking plague on the system and install a bunch of stupid shit that is hard to get rid off.
But if they go through apples system, getting rid of things is really quite easy.
Probably not as much of an issue on iOS, but if macOS is any indication of what’s in store for sideloading, no fucking thanks, I’d much prefer my walled garden.
there are words for people that talk like this as well, hint none of them are pleasant.
The EU is also under no obligation to cater to Apple’s walled garden. Open up or don’t sell in the EU.
Why don’t they target other companies that have worse examples then?
Are you forgetting that Australia isn’t Somalia? They have laws and regulations around competition. If Apple wants to do business in Australia they have to follow the law. “But I don’t want to!” isn’t a good argument.
Actually no. It’s a major computing platform. Your argument is flawed. By you saying this is ok for apple then you must also be ok with the possibility that tomorrow Microsoft can do the same to windows and apple can do it to osx and google to android. What’s good for one has to be acceptable for all. Eventually every platform can be locked to one and only one source of apps completely killing competition.
Argument is flawed how? You are not required to use Apple devices or services. I would argue that their products are a premium purchase if anything. They are nowhere near a majority marketshare in any sector they compete in.
That’s up to them. There are still other options.
Majority marketshare ≠ major computing platform.
You will always have the option to use only the App Store.