Japan Passes Law to Allow Third-Party App Stores on the iPhone

[NEPOBABY]

Your hypothetical scenario is not only way people will get scammed.

So? Make I worse?

Even if without access to side loading or third party store, scammer can still use phishing to get people scammed.

So? Make I worse?

You think all these people who get scammed over phone are all Android users?

Primarily through Windows, secondarily through Android. Wide coverage, poor security, big target.

Are you defending the crimes and saying it should be easier for everyone to get criminally damaged because it is a fair side effect of 'side looding cool yo'?

 

[StuBeck]

That's the wrong question. Nobody is saying that the walled garden is "safe all the time." It's just safer than the alternative. Or at least that's the choice that I made when I chose which Mobile OS to go with. You and others now want to remove that choice from me, and are asking Governments to enforce your choice and to take mine away.

Is anyone forcing you to use another app store?

 

[123]

What happens when an app you already own decides to join the Epic, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Steam, etc store via an exclusive distribution agreement? Exclusive agreement meaning they will remove their app from the Apple store.

I will tell you... you will be forced to either abandon an app you already paid for or you will be forced to join another store. Soon users will an an app store account for all of the above which is yet another way for them to hoover your data.

The only reason why this is even a possibility is Apple. Had their store and payment conditions been somewhat reasonable, none of this would have happened.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

That's the wrong question. Nobody is saying that the walled garden is "safe all the time." It's just safer than the alternative. Or at least that's the choice that I made when I chose which mobile OS to go with. You and others now want to remove that choice from me, and are asking Governments to enforce your choice and to take mine away.

Do you only shop at Walmart because Target / Kohl’s / Home Goods / IKEA don’t feel safe to you?

 

[H2SO4]

Oh my god! Other government intervention? When can governments just mind their own business? Let free market to decide! Big government at its finest, forcing its will to beloved corporation!

What government doesn’t understand is corporation is for its people, not for profit! Only Apple knows what is best for its users!

I hate this! Apple should get out of Japan ASAP, just like how they did in Europe, oh wait…

I'll tell you right now, there is no such thing as free market.
We ALL trade under a set of rules of differing tightness.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Do you only shop at Walmart because Target / Kohl’s / Home Goods / IKEA don’t feel safe to you?

The first answer is that it's none of your business who I do and don't trust to do business with.

But beyond that, privacy and security are much different on a Mobile OS than in a brick and mortar store. I value security in my digital life much higher than elsewhere.

You can certainly prefer something else. That's up to you.

 

[CapitalIdea]

Which I would say, EU should make sure that Apple’s implementation should be banned and Apple should be fined big dollars.

Why should Apple be fined "big dollars?" You're not entitled to anything for free. Those app dev tools take the efforts of thousands of salaried employees to develop. Delivering all those apps and updates further costs money via infrastructure. There is a reason the economies of the EU are so stagnant, and it's not up to American firms to prop up those failed systems.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Is anyone forcing you to use another app store?

Who knows? Once you deem that this is governments role to decide for me than all bets are off. You've basically taken these choices away from me and are trying to paper over that by claiming it's giving me more choice.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

No one cares anymore because no one takes the risk and inconvenience of going outside the Walled Garden. It was news 1-2 years ago but now it’s not.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

The only reason why this is even a possibility is Apple. Had their store and payment conditions been somewhat reasonable, none of this would have happened.

Who decides reasonable? Seems to me that a dominant grouping of consumers already decided that Apple was not only reasonable, but preferable.

 

[gnipgnop]

The only reason why this is even a possibility is Apple. Had their store and payment conditions been somewhat reasonable, none of this would have happened.

30% commission was already a standard for digital stores on both consoles and Windows back in 2008 when the App Store launched. And the standard for brick/mortar stores was the reverse: typically 70% for the store and 30% for the developer.

 

[Fender2112]

All I'm going to say about this whole topic is this:

I have always preferred Apple's closed eco system since I first used a Mac in 1986. I will continue to use it unless I have a reason not to.

 

[brofkand]

That's the wrong question. Nobody is saying that the walled garden is "safe all the time." It's just safer than the alternative. Or at least that's the choice that I made when I chose which mobile OS to go with. You and others now want to remove that choice from me, and are asking Governments to enforce your choice and to take mine away.

You do not have to install apps outside of the app store on your phone if you don't want to.

 

[PsykX]

Welcome to your security and performance nightmare Japan.

Has macOS always been a security and performance nightmare?

This is Apple's biggest hole in their argument.
macOS didn't have an App Store from the get go, and the App Store is still optional.
iOS had an App Store from the get go and it's always been mandatory.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

You do not have to install apps outside of the app store on your phone if you don't want to.

That's not the point. You're now asking Government to deterimine what a private company can and cannot do to lock down their system. You're asking Government to weaken the walled garden approach to a mobile OS that I specifically chose.

By having a walled garden, single option app store, it forces the app developers to follow the standards of privacy and data collection that I prefer. You're now allowing mega corporations to bypass those standards such that they aren't forced to code to the standards I prefer.

 

[gnipgnop]

This is Apple's biggest hole in their argument.
macOS didn't have an App Store from the get go, and the App Store is still optional.
iOS had an App Store from the get go and it's always been mandatory.

There's no hole in their argument. Desktop computers existed BEFORE digital stores were even possible. iPhone/iOS were developed after Apple already knew the pros/cons of how app distribution worked on desktop.

 

[CapitalIdea]

The only reason why this is even a possibility is Apple. Had their store and payment conditions been somewhat reasonable, none of this would have happened.

Amazing how many people forget that when Apple introduced the App Store it was considered an incredibly generous godsend to all the developers who were used to seeing ~70% cuts taken by retailers and metered delivery options. Now they all complain as if they're out selling matchbooks on the street corner to make ends meet. Such spoiled people, always thinking that nothing should cost anything.

Don't want to pay a commission? Find some janky outlet to carry your app run by a sketchy anonymous set of randos! Mad that Netflix raised the price? Just steal content! Who cares about the salaries of everyone who made that product as long as you get what you want! Upset that your app didn't bring you independent wealth? Blame Apple and "unreasonable fees and policies" for holding back what could absolutely not just be a failed product!

Good grief.

 

[PhilJustRidingAlong]

Government intervention into how companies run their business what next?

If Apple's customers were complaining then I could understand that Trading organisations would get involved, however it's not, it is developers and software companies who are complaining wanting to make money on the back of Apple.

I have been involved in writing and selling software most of my working life and my company has always had to pay IT companies or distributors commission, usually around 30-35% for IT companies and Distributors wanted at least 60%. Apple is no different, it is a store wanting to commission to sell products, after all Walmart is a single store selling other companies goods and hear no one complaining, because they want to be in Walmarts.

No one can force a customer to use a third party store and I for one will stick with Apple's, I do not want to be downloading unsafe software or have these stores breaking my privacy. I have to trust someone and I do trust Apple the most.

 

[brofkand]

That's not the point. You're now asking Government to deterimine what a private company can and cannot do to lock down their system. You're asking Government to weaken the walled garden approach to a mobile OS that I specifically chose.

By having a walled garden, single option app store, it forces the app developers to follow the standards of privacy and data collection that I prefer. You're now allowing mega corporations to bypass those standards such that they aren't forced to code to the standards I prefer.

Apple's walled garden is as strong (or as weak) as ever and installing apps outside of the app store is fully optional and if you don't want to install apps outside of the app store, don't. Nobody cares. You are spreading FUD. Goodbye.

 

[gnipgnop]

You do not have to install apps outside of the app store on your phone if you don't want to.

You didn't have to buy an iPhone if you wanted Android capabilities.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Has macOS always been a security and performance nightmare?

This is Apple's biggest hole in their argument.
macOS didn't have an App Store from the get go, and the App Store is still optional.
iOS had an App Store from the get go and it's always been mandatory.

Apple doesn't need to make an argument; it's their choice how they want to build and maintain their business. And we consumers get to choose to support that or not. As it turns out, a large number of consumers in this era of concern over privacy and security are choosing Apple's walled garden, integrated eco-system approach.

 

[Entilzha]

Interesting how much more respectful and measured Apple’s statement with regard to the Japanese vs the EU.

Politeness is valued in Japan. And they’re being less heavy handed than the EU, I think.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Who decides reasonable? Seems to me that a dominant grouping of consumers already decided that Apple was not only reasonable, but preferable.

Consumer don't decide as Apple doesn't allow app makers to talk about or mention the commission anywhere in their apps or documentation. Perhaps the consumer would think differently if the knew? If you don't follow tech, you likely have no idea.

Maybe the consumer wouldn't care, but Apple thinks they would, hence the active blocking mention of the amount they take.

 

[tkaravou]

I wish that 3rd party stores didn't exist. I'm not saying that I only want apps from the Apple App Store, I just don't want to deal with 3rd party stores. It should be Apple Store, or download the app from their website using your phone. The one exception would be games, I don't mind Steam Store or Epic, but I don't want that for apps.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Apple's walled garden is as strong (or as weak) as ever and installing apps outside of the app store is fully optional and if you don't want to install apps outside of the app store, don't. Nobody cares. You are spreading FUD. Goodbye.

No. That's simply not true. For example, there are 3rd party apps that become defacto required...take WhatsApp for example. Where I live it is a mandatory app for doing business. But when Meta decides to deliver their app outside the Apple App store, they are going to bypass Apple's strict standards on data collection. And I will be forced to use their app due to it being required for me to do business.

This idea that there's no harm being done here is a manufactured talking point.