This argument doesn't follow. First, Apple is not an outlier in the fees they charge, these are industry standards.
For most it will not fragment as they would never consider going outside of it. I don't know of a single user who would as their focus is social media and it is free to use even though you are being traded for profit.
Do you know what Amazon's terms are for ebooks? 30% on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99. 65% on ebooks at any other price level. Now consider that ebooks are largely a stagnant technology that hasn't changed much in the past 15 years and compare that to smartphones and their apps.
It's not parroting...it's common sense. Your doomsday scenarios you hypothesize are merely FUD to scare people. I don't care what store I got it from, it's the app and the company I trust. The store is irrelevant.
If the store is irrelevant, why force 3rd party stores?
It may be irrelevant to YOU. It's not irrelevant to me. Apple sets certain standards in tracking and data collection. When Meta and Google are forced by Apple to follow those standards (and a million other companies) that has a real impact on the safety, security and privacy that I prefer. But when Meta can just bypass those standards to to governmental interference in the market, all bets are off. And I can't simply not download WhatsApp; it's a requirement for me to do business where I live.
Apple isn't a middle man. They make the hardware and the OS.
So far, META can't simply do that because IOS remains for the majority of the world a walled garden. But what you're advocating for is a global destruction of that walled garden. When the balance shifts enough, Meta and Google will certainly choose to move outside the IOS app store.
Correction: the hardware and OS is useless without paying customers. App developers want to develop for platforms that are popular with consumers and sell software consistently. Which mobile platform has customers that are more likely to spend money on apps? iPhone/iOS.
I am wholly aware that Apple is a for-profit corporation. I have chosen to support their business model because I feel they offer me the best alternative to balance my needs for privacy and security. I want them to make money, because they are offering me a service I prefer. "Consumers" are those who are making choices in the market; Apple's customers have chosen the Apple Ecosystem. I, for one, choose it because of the benefits of Apple's approach.
I doubt anyone thinks we have enough information to make a determination on how things are going in the EU.
Not if users don't use it. I will not. Those who understand how bad this is will not also.
What turned out great?
The newest M series device are more than powerful enough to run these 3rd party apps in a sandbox.
New legislation in Japan requires Apple to allow third-party app stores and payment providers on the iPhone.
The Japanese parliament has passed the Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software, a law that compels Apple to allow access to third-party app stores and payment providers on devices that run iOS. The legislation, which was passed by Japan's upper house and will be enforced following Cabinet approval within the next eighteen months, seeks to curb the dominance of major tech firms like Apple in the smartphone market.
The law requires Apple to make several significant changes to its business practices. The company will have to permit third-party app stores on its devices, just like it does in the EU. App developers will be allowed to use third-party payment services. There are also provisions to allow users to change default settings via new choice screens during setup, such as for selecting a default browser.
Apple will be forbidden from giving its own services preferential treatment in search results without a justifiable reason. The law also prohibits the use of data acquired about competing software to benefit its own apps. Additionally, the law requires that third-party developers have access to the same features as Apple's own apps and services, such as NFC for contactless payments.
Failure to comply with these new regulations could lead to fines amounting to 20 percent of relevant turnover, with the figure increasing to 30 percent for repeat offenses. In a statement to The Verge, Apple said:
The law is expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2025. Epic Games has already announced plans to bring Fortnite and its game store platform to iOS in Japan by late 2025.
Japan's move follows a trend of international legislative efforts aimed at regulating the dominance of major tech companies. The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill are similar initiatives designed to foster competition and prevent monopolistic practices. Various antitrust cases in the United States are also targeting similar issues.
Article Link: Japan Passes Law to Allow Third-Party App Stores on the iPhone
