Illinois Floats Bill That Would Let Developers Skirt Apple's In-App Purchase Rules

[Ethosik]

I have actually dealt with malware on Macs. People can be so obnoxious with these stories. An open environment is inherently not even questionable less secure than a closed system. It is by definition less secure.

People REALLY need to stop the "macOS allows this and is secure!". MacOS is ONLY secure because Windows has such a large marketshare.

Report: macOS malware boomed in 2020, but still a fraction of Windows threats - 9to5Mac

A study looking at new malware found in the wild during 2020 says that threats developed for macOS saw a...

9to5mac.com

Malware Statistics & Trends Report | AV-TEST

Provides visualizations of malware statistics that have happened in the last year, 2 years, 5 years, and 10 year time period.

www.av-test.org

 

[canadianreader]

I demand every brick/mortar retailer in Illinois accept Yemeni Rial currency. Why should I be forced to use US currency??

I think they'll start with Bitcoin first 😆

 

[alex2792]

The writing is on the wall Apple’s days of App Store monopoly and being able to push arbitrary BS anticompetitive policies are finally coming to an end.

 

[I7guy]

[….]

Choice, it's a beautiful thing.

Android is there for the taking.

 

[Ethosik]

I am all of the percents pro choice, and right now, we have that. I have seen the alternative, and it's GD nightmare I want nothing to do with. On any level. You want to open your digital life, your personal data, your financial records, photos, locations, etc. to just anyone? Have soulless marketers cherry pick that data to shape the products they force down your throat, shape the articles you read, the ideas you foster, the shape of your echo chamber? Cool. I don't. There is a reason - actually a lot of them - why I elect to give my hard earned monies to a specific ecosystem and not another. What is wrong with that? Nothing.

It's weird... I have never once ever considered getting an account at widowsrumors.com and posting about how Windows needs to me more like Apple. Why? Because I don't think they do. I don't give a flip what Widows users want, do. Happy to let them enjoy their decisions. Good for them. Just allow me the same in return. It's not complicated, folks. Stuff you hopefully learn in kindergarten. Chose and enjoy what you like. And don't take it personal when someone chooses and likes something different. There's a million ways to slice this...

FULLY agree! People keep advocating for this thinking it will add choices but it takes away choices.

Let me spell it out for people. Do I have a choice currently for a completely closed system, that cannot possibly be opened due to some malware or other means, to be locked in to a walled garden OF MY CHOSING? Yes - iOS. Do I have a choice for an open system where I can install what I want from wherever I want by enabling it? Yes - Android.

Now if Apple is forced to change, do I have that same choice? Where is my choice to chose a completely locked down walled garden environment if this changes? Oh look at that, no more choice.

 

[canadianreader]

If they are going to pass this legislation why not do it to other big companies such as Walmart, Target, Amazon, Microsoft? Why Apple?

Is this even legal?

If they do it they need to put clear alerts and guidelines before allowing non AppStore apps to be installed.

 

[StupidOpinion]

big apple taking so much money from many smaller companies. don't pretend like this is a security issue. if this was a security issue, then mac computers would use the same thing. it's solely a money issue. apple has the power to make all of this mess go away but i suppose they're trying to hit 10 trillion by 2025 than to care about your security. when so many people use iphones, companies are forced to either drive up their prices or pay the apple tax and make less revenue. to say that apple made the product and that you have to go by their rules is a direction headed towards a monopoly.

 

[Ethosik]

you'e assuming that you would have the choice. What if developers ONLY include the alternate payment options to avoid the integrated in-app purchases? what if legislature's believe that Apple requiring in-app purchases via Apple's system constitutes and unfair advantage? The truth is that there will likely be unintended consequences that could limit user choice in purchasing software and services on the various mobile OS platforms.

Yep. People completely ignore this fact. Take a very very VERY popular upcoming iOS app and Epic Games Store has exclusivity deals and its ONLY available on the Epic Games Store. What then?

Think it won't happen? Look at how its handled in the PC space. Most recently Final Fantasy 7 Remake. A very popular game. Its not on Steam, the largest PC gaming distributor around. Its exclusive to the Epic Games Store.

Epic likes to purchase exclusivity deals and force games to be exclusive on their store. It WILL happen on iOS and it WILL lead to it happening on Android.

Google Play Store will become less relevant because once Apple allows something, and developer start taking advantage of it on such a popular platform, Android will change as well. This happens ALL THE TIME in the industry. Once Apple does something, others follow.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

What are they trying to get out of this? Apple is still going to collect it’s commission people. Please make sure you know this right up front before you waste all this taxpayers time and money

 

[Victor Mortimer]

I would prefer if Congress would pass New Law that would create a 2nd iOS App Store that acts like a Utility, with a Fixed 7.5% fee across the Board for ALL transactions, with half going to maintain the Utility & half going to Apple.

IMO, Apple needs "App Discovery" competition more than anything !

For starters, I say let Apple keep the Game Apps, Apps for Little Kids, & Streaming Media Apps ... everything else, which accounts for about ONLY 10% of the App Store's revenue, should be allowed in the Utility iOS App Store !

Apple is resistant to change mostly because they don't want to lose-out on the Game Revenue, so lets remove it, & the others that Apple cares alot about, from the equation, & move forward !

Nope, not good enough.

We don't need another Apple app store, or any other app store at all. We should be able to install software to our iPhones from any source of OUR choosing. If you only want to get it from Apple's app store, nothing would change for you, you can keep doing that, just like on the Macintosh. But, just like on the Macintosh, we should be able to install software from other sources, whether that be compiling an open source project and installing it or just installing an app that Apple didn't want to approve because it's something they don't like. (Oh noes! It's got nudity! Ban it now!)

Apple isn't your mommy. Let them distribute what they want how they want it in their app store, but force them to let the rest of us install what we want on OUR iPhones.

 

[vipergts2207]

I demand every brick/mortar retailer in Illinois accept Yemeni Rial currency. Why should I be forced to use US currency??

If enough people agree with you, band together and petition for that. That’s how representative government works.

 

[I7guy]

I would prefer if Congress would pass New Law that would create a 2nd iOS App Store that acts like a Utility, with a Fixed 7.5% fee across the Board for ALL transactions, with half going to maintain the Utility & half going to Apple.

IMO, Apple needs "App Discovery" competition more than anything !

For starters, I say let Apple keep the Game Apps, Apps for Little Kids, & Streaming Media Apps ... everything else, which accounts for about ONLY 10% of the App Store's revenue, should be allowed in the Utility iOS App Store !

Apple is resistant to change mostly because they don't want to lose-out on the Game Revenue, so lets remove it, & the others that Apple cares alot about, from the equation, & move forward !

I would prefer congress understand the concept of “vote with your dollars”. Additionally, If the digital marketplace is to be regulated let it be regulated evenly and force all close systems no matter where they are to be forced open. Else, don’t target any one company.

 

[Cosmosent]

Nope, not good enough.

We don't need another Apple app store, or any other app store at all. We should be able to install software to our iPhones from any source of OUR choosing. If you only want to get it from Apple's app store, nothing would change for you, you can keep doing that, just like on the Macintosh. But, just like on the Macintosh, we should be able to install software from other sources, whether that be compiling an open source project and installing it or just installing an app that Apple didn't want to approve because it's something they don't like. (Oh noes! It's got nudity! Ban it now!)

Apple isn't your mommy. Let them distribute what they want how they want it in their app store, but force them to let the rest of us install what we want on OUR iPhones.

It's NOT a 2nd "Apple run" iOS App Store, I'm proposing a Public Utility-based iOS App Store, run by some new Gov't Agency, & naturally, everything needs to be Fully Transparent (i.e, NO funny business).

 

[applicious84]

Here's the thing: no matter your political orientation, I don't want anyone getting in the way of my inanimate love for Apple or my stock portfolio. I want money, and I want to get that money when my favorite brand makes it. Apple gives me phones and dollars, and I don't care about anything else, esp. not government regulations

edit: lol, that's sarcasm above. How could my other comments have been deleted for reacting to other posts about politics (in a political story about legislation), but this one get's to stay?

 

[Ethosik]

Nope, not good enough.

We don't need another Apple app store, or any other app store at all. We should be able to install software to our iPhones from any source of OUR choosing. If you only want to get it from Apple's app store, nothing would change for you, you can keep doing that, just like on the Macintosh. But, just like on the Macintosh, we should be able to install software from other sources, whether that be compiling an open source project and installing it or just installing an app that Apple didn't want to approve because it's something they don't like. (Oh noes! It's got nudity! Ban it now!)

Apple isn't your mommy. Let them distribute what they want how they want it in their app store, but force them to let the rest of us install what we want on OUR iPhones.

It certainly is your phone. If you can figure out how to jailbreak it and open it up yourself, by all means do so. But forcing Apple to allow this is a different story.

Hack your phone, throw it away, drop it from a roof, whatever. You are right it is your PHONE, but it is Apple's operating system.

 

[Cosmosent]

I would prefer congress understand the concept of “vote with your dollars”. Additionally, If the digital marketplace is to be regulated let it be regulated evenly and force all close systems no matter where they are to be forced open. Else, don’t target any one company.

Apple is a special case.

 

[I7guy]

It will soon be proven that Apple has a Monopoly, & has intentionally suppressed third-party App Innovation for their own benefit ... most closed systems aren't playing the same game.

Ok, bring it on and let it be proved.

 

[canadianreader]

Yep. People completely ignore this fact. Take a very very VERY popular upcoming iOS app and Epic Games Store has exclusivity deals and its ONLY available on the Epic Games Store. What then?

Think it won't happen? Look at how its handled in the PC space. Most recently Final Fantasy 7 Remake. A very popular game. Its not on Steam, the largest PC gaming distributor around. Its exclusive to the Epic Games Store.

Epic likes to purchase exclusivity deals and force games to be exclusive on their store. It WILL happen on iOS and it WILL lead to it happening on Android.

Google Play Store will become less relevant because once Apple allows something, and developer start taking advantage of it on such a popular platform, Android will change as well. This happens ALL THE TIME in the industry. Once Apple does something, others follow.

Play Store already becoming irrelevant with the rise of Degoogled phones, open-source markets like F-Droid are becoming more popular. Most of the apps over there are privacy oriented and if you want more features you can do a one-time payment to the dev with Paypal no subscription needed.

 

[BreakYurAnkles]

for those of you that think Apple/iPhones are bulletproof.....

NSO group.....

 

[boss.king]

All this crap is just being pushed by Google to destroy whatever extra security Apple has in their phones. Eventually it’s going to be where you just install whatever apps from whatever place you want to download them. Then people are going to be crying when their data and identity has been stolen ?‍♂️?

You realize you can buy all sorts of things online, right? Do you currently limit all your online shopping to the App Store?

 

[Ethosik]

for those of you that think Apple/iPhones are bulletproof.....

NSO group.....

Not sure if you are being serious. If you are, I don't think anyone on this site is saying iOS or Apple in general is bullet proof. Any code of any kind is open to attacks. Its just the very nature of humans writing code. However, an open environment is inherently less secure than a closed one.

iOS can have security flaws and still be a great closed experience. It doesn't need to be 100% bullet proof in order for it to be worth it. Cops aren't always 100% effective, but its still good to have them around.

And if there are people that are saying iOS is bullet proof, I will be right there with you saying its not. But that doesn't change the benefits of the walled garden. Like I said, I have had to deal with macOS malware before.

 

[DaRev]

This is just great news for scam artists. We took my 78 year old moms computer away and gave her an iPad because she was scammed twice out of thousands of dollars, now they can get her on her iPad and iPhone, what a big win.

 

[Ethosik]

This is just great news for scam artists. We took my 78 year old moms computer away and gave her an iPad because she was scammed twice out of thousands of dollars, now they can get her on her iPad and iPhone, what a big win.

We did the same! We started with Windows 10 S but that got disabled shortly after so we just converted to the iPad for my grandparents.

 

[danakin]

you'e assuming that you would have the choice. What if developers ONLY include the alternate payment options to avoid the integrated in-app purchases? what if legislature's believe that Apple requiring in-app purchases via Apple's system constitutes and unfair advantage? The truth is that there will likely be unintended consequences that could limit user choice in purchasing software and services on the various mobile OS platforms.

I think the term "alternate payment options" implies there's more than one choice.

Both Google and Apple are very likely going to have to either (a) adapt and evolve or (b) raise prices of their next offering to hire more lawyers. The tsumami of global sentiment on this topic appears to lean towards the inevitable.

 

[DummyFool]

Illinois is a democratic state. This is a vital issue for Apple obviously, they will get it resolved by threatening to give a boatload of cash to the republican. This is how American politic works. Apple will have to make concessions in some places in the world but America is unlikely because of that.