This is what I’ve been saying the whole time. If we open up third party app stores, get ready for the meta store to be the exclusive place to download instagram and the Microsoft store the exclusive place to get outlook/teams, both pumped full of tracking and junk that would have never been approved by Apple, diluting the iPhone experience for many.
Because google lets these players put apps in their store already chock full of all the tracking and junk they want. They know if they didn’t, they would open their own store and google would loose their cut.
This is exactly what will happen. Every app with a large user base will move. Want to easily cancel a subscription? Good luck. Want to stop tracking? Have fun with that.
I don’t think most end users are smart enough to figure out how to download alternative app stores so I don’t think that companies are going to lock themselves in to only offering their apps on a single storefront.
I am hoping this results in storefronts that offer exclusively open source and other projects that might not jive with Apple policies such as emulators or Hypervisors.
That being said I’m not downloading anything from the MS store app
No, it wouldn't. The relevant companies aren't the ones that want that 30% cut back. They're the ones who want to be malware and are reigned in by Apple's policies.
Google lets them do whatever they want so they have no reason to add friction.
Apple is WAY stricter about their store than google is. Google so so lax because they know giant devs would leave. Apple has gotten away with being a gate keeper making these apps play nice because there was no alternative.
Small companies will not move unless a third store really takes off. It is the big apps that everyone wants that will have the market power to move. Like Facebook, Instagram, Google Chrome, Microsoft, possibly Adobe, and all the streaming apps like Netflix.
That’s fine, I’ll install the open source App Store that replicates the functionality of those apps without the bullshit (or straight up has modified versions that remove that garbage).
I’m almost certain the corporate internet will use this opportunity to further enshitify their platforms. But it will also give end-users more powerful tools to resist that enshitification.
In the end I think it’s better to give users more freedom to protect themselves. Not to put everything on a benevolent corporate daddy to protect the end-user.
Perhaps this is the reason enshitifacation wasn’t a thing until we were put into these locked down devices?
Remember when Apple had to allow 3rd party payment systems and still legally imposed a 27% fee on 3rd party payments, along with reporting requirements, even though those payments had nothing to do with Apple?
Is it possible that Apple will “allow” 3rd party app stores but still require apps on those stores to pass Apple’s App Review? And will try to impose that 27% fee or something similar on both app sales and in-app purchases through 3rd party app stores.
Apps can’t run on iOS unless they are code signed by Apple and 3rd party app stores won’t change that.
This is how I see it going. Alternative app stores will be available but apps will still need to be reviewed and signed by Apple. The alternative app store will be required to pay Apple for the privilege.
Unsigned side loads will never be permitted on Apple devices.
EU is not this dumb. DMA regulations are quite specific in what’s expected of tech giants. They’ll try to delay but in the end non-compliance will cost them.
Exactly. With the USB-C ruling, they explicitly made it so that other shenanigans like "you can only use original Apple USB-C cables" would not be allowed. They know companies will try everything legally possible to bend the rules.
This happened in the Netherlands and the authority didn’t seem to think the 27% “commission” was a problem. Hopefully Brussels has a better-designed regulation.
Yeah I also see this as a positive development. I don’t buy into the FUD about app stores that is discredited by none of it happening on Android. On the other hand, if this is what it takes for Microsoft to port their expanding game empire to iOS, then it could make iOS a viable gaming platform. Which in turn would both encourage other companies to start porting their games, and likely spillover into macOS, even if just via the existing iOS compatibility system on Apple-silicon Macs.
I know this is apple enthusiasts but I'm glad to see people here talking about how shit this is going to end up being for consumers. Everyone on reddit always acted like Apple's walled garden was something people hate, rather than it being the feature we all want as IOS users.
There’s a stereotype that Apple enthusiasts are incapable of recognizing the stupid side of Apple. It’s annoying because we’ve usually already bitched about it and moved on before all the PC bros catch on and try to make a big “gotcha” out of it. It’s fine for a good circle jerk, but it’s not actually going to make Apple enthusiasts just suddenly choose windows.
I'm pretty sure Netflix and YouTube got into games to position themselves as video game storefronts on iOS later and optionally pivot into full blown app stores next. All the big tech players know that money is made on taking a cut of in-app purchases in games with predatory mechanics.