My impression is that most of them, with the exception of a few big companies, are not screaming to get out. Consumers are screaming to get out of the walled garden to have more choice.
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New U.S. Antitrust Bill Would Require Apple and Google to Allow Third-Party App Stores and Sideloading
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Torrent sites and new sites are completely dead, it’s not the gold mine it was a decade ago, It’s hard to find abandonware and old media anywhere now
My reaction is that these elected officials hate success.
New bipartisan antitrust legislation that targets Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store was today introduced by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Marsha Blackburn, and Amy Klobuchar.
The Open App Markets Act [PDF] is meant to create "fair, clear, and enforceable rules" that will protect competition and strengthen consumer protections. According to the three senators, Apple and Google have "gatekeeper control" of the two main mobile operating systems and their app stores, allowing them to dictate the terms of the app market.
Under the terms of the bill, which applies to companies that own or control an App Store with more than 50,000,000 users, Apple would not be able to require developers to use its own in-app purchase system, and it would be required to allow developers to distribute apps through alternative app stores.
Apple would need to provide "readily accessible means" for iPhone users to install third-party apps or app stores outside of Apple's own App Store, and it would need to let customers choose third-party apps and app stores as their defaults while also hiding standard Apple apps.
Other wording in the bill would prevent Apple from retaliating against developers that decided to distribute apps using alternative means, and Apple would also not be allowed to unreasonably preference its own apps. The company would need to provide developers with access to operating system interfaces, development information, and hardware and software features.
In a statement, Blumenthal said that the legislation would break the competitive hold that Apple and Google have over the app market while providing mobile users with more control over their devices.Blackburn said that Apple and Google's refusal to allow for third-party App Stores is a "direct affront to a free and fair marketplace, and Klobuchar said that the legislation levels the playing field and will ensure an "innovative and competitive marketplace."
In an interview with Reuters, Blumenthal said that he found the "predatory abuse" of the two companies "deeply offensive on so many levels." He said that he expects companion legislation in the House of Representatives "very soon."
Earlier this year, U.S. lawmakers introduced sweeping antitrust legislation that would result in major changes to the tech industry if passed, with the measures coming as the culmination of a 16-month antitrust investigation.
Update: In a statement to MacRumors, Apple reiterated its commitment to ensuring that apps are delivered to customers in a way that is safe and trustworthy.
Article Link: New U.S. Antitrust Bill Would Require Apple and Google to Allow Third-Party App Stores and Sideloading
Such a disingenuous and asinine argument. Consumers aren't forced to buy software from one specific store on their computers and shouldn't be required to on their phones either. Simple as that.
So, because they're screaming with their eyes closed, we're going to tear down the walls from the one garden that has them rather than just show them the gate? There are plenty of other gardens without walls:
The best app stores for Android - Download APK free
There’s life beyond Google Play. With this list of app stores you can make use of the best alternative marketplaces to download the APKs of your favorite games or apps, especially those applications not available in the official store
You guys are focusing too much on the App Store stuff. This bill is terrible from the top to the bottom. It is basically as Un-American for capitalism as any bill has been to date. It’s going to be hard to pass a bill that restricts large tech businesses from entering other markets and industries while simultaneously regulating their exitsiting businesses. This almost guarantees that following the Citizens United ruling that what will happen next is corporations will be provided equal protection under the law and that most of the targeted regulations of the past as well as the ones in this bill will be ruled unconstitutional. The existing antitrust acts have had to walk a very fine line in the courts with very narrow interpretations (that got narrower and narrower over the years) as not to tread on the constitution. New laws don’t magically make the constitutional issues go away. In fact, they serve to accelerate the issue before the courts and will shine light on them in ways legislators and regulators won’t like.
It's almost as if people should be responsible for themselves instead of treating them like children. This is exactly how it is for computers.
Isn't it crazy to see the knots people are tying their brains into while working to support the 2 trillion dollar behemoth?
I’m sorry but Apple should be allowed to advertise its own apps on the front page of its App Store. Otherwise I agree with the legislation.
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They aren't. If they choose to buy into Apple's ecosystem then they've chosen a curated experience.
There's nothing more annoying than someone who makes a decision, doesn't like the consequence of that decision, can't bring themselves to change their decision, and then relies on the power of government to make everyone else live the way they wish they'd chosen to begin with.
I guess they won't support Apps
They won't have a backdoor on your phone if you don't side load, nobody is planning to force you to do it.
How about you using the Apple store and leaving us other user use the store we want. Win/win
There are options for that. It’s called buying something else.
And lawmakers are looking to force them to change that 'curation-only' experience to a 'curation-if-you-want-it' experience. Just because someone buys an iPhone doesn't mean Apple should automatically be allowed to restrict their freedom to add the software they want to their device. You're also pretending like the only thing people consider when buying a phone is the app store experience. There are many positives and negatives to each ecosystem and phone, the app store situation being only one small component. You're also pretending it's simple to just hop ecosystems. People can have significant finanical investments in the ecosystem they've potentially been using for well over a decade, including other hardware like an Apple Watch. Apple knows this keeps people locked in, even if they don't like the app store situation.
I realize that. No need to state the obvious. I haven't complained about the App Store in this thread.
This is a significant drawback. I’m surprised the legislation is shaping up to be as good as it is so far.
I don't think anyone who is against this muddle-headed move by Congress is in favor of Apple scanning our text messages. I'm against both. And, if you had any sense, you would be, too.
I assume Affinity Photo would be on both. Maybe just 30% cheaper on their website for those to chose to go direct.
Good point. Walmart doesn't accept Apple Pay because they have Walmart Pay. Why aren't legislators addressing issues such as that?
Because that’s not how it will work and you are being disingenuous in saying that side-loading will be a definitive opt-out. Are you also going to tell everyone to give up using X major apps and social networks If they pull their apps from the appstore and distribute only though their own store or website? Eventually those wanting the App Store experience will just have to settle for a diminished iOS experience as a whole or cave in and side-load. It’s like telling people if they don’t want to breath smoke, don’t sit in the smoking section without acknowledging the existence of a smoking section makes it impossible to enjoy the enablement to its fullest extent regardless of where they sit.