[ad_1]
Apple and Google Delegates recently discovered their own app store practices during a Senate antitrust hearing. In particular, Apple came under fire because it hired developers who made the platform so valuable, and consumers paid for it. For example, the dating app company Match proved that app store fees are its biggest expense. Spotify shared how Apple’s charges forced them to increase prices for consumers as Apple launched a competitive streaming service Apple Music. Tile argues that Apple has used its platform to put Tile’s products at a disadvantage and pave the way for Apple’s competing AirTag.
Legislators and regulators around the world are paying attention. The European Commission recently announced that it regards the App Store policy as an anti-competitive policy and intends to take regulatory action. Australian regulators reached similar conclusions in an interim report published last month. Apple’s behavior in the app distribution market has been further scrutinized during its ongoing trial with Epic Games.
These policies not only harm developers who try to distribute their applications, but also harm 1.65 billion iOS mobile device users worldwide. When Apple requires 30% of developers’ income, it limits their freedom to provide new and innovative customer experiences. Moreover, by prohibiting developers from communicating with customers through their own applications, consumers will end up in an application ecosystem that cannot put their own interests first.
Apple’s commitment to privacy and security does benefit users, but Apple generally claims that Apple’s App Store policy is necessary for these priorities. On Mac computers (which Apple considers to be safe), there are no restrictions on third-party app stores or payments. Even though it is possible to install apps to the iPhone from outside the App Store, they still cannot track the location or access the camera without permission. The mobile phone’s operating system protects users more than the App Store, and applications installed from the alternate App Store may be cheaper or more functional, but will benefit from the same security protection.In fact, despite Apple’s poor performance, the iOS app store is flooded with rip theft and fraud.
At the same time, legitimate applications and services are restricted by Apple, which creates real problems for people. In the early days of the Covid-19 epidemic, Apple required users to reduce the fees it charged by 30% before issuing temporary probation, making it difficult for users to pay teachers and trainers who were forced to attend classes online.
Last year, the popular fitness app (and the app fairness member of the alliance alliance) Trying to provide customers Before submitting the subscription plan, there is an opportunity to download the application for a free trial. The company does not want to automatically charge users at the end of the trial period, hoping to avoid the process of forcing them to go through frustrating cancellations or trying to refund because they forget to cancel. Apple refused to allow updates to the application until the company agreed to automatically charge its users.
Many users of music, dating or other subscription services don’t realize that they pay more for members because they register through the iPhone app instead of directly with the company. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow these service providers to communicate directly with customers through their own apps, which can help millions of consumers save money every month and get better services.
The biggest loss has nothing to do with developers and users who have to overcome Apple’s restrictions, because these apps and services simply don’t exist because the app store rules make them impossible.
Some larger developers, such as those who testified in the Senate last month, can speak up. But there are more people who are afraid to do so because they are worried about Apple’s retaliation. This is especially noteworthy when smaller developers have to speak up anyway, because threats to their business may exist.
Clear steps must be taken to end this anti-competitive behavior and ultimately make users and developers a priority. The distribution of any application should not be blocked because it seeks to provide users with better payment methods, or because it competes with the platform’s own preferred applications.Fragmentary products like Apple, for example Backdoor transactions for a single application,not enough.
It should also allow customers to access their apps from the store that best meets their needs.These things are possible without risking users, and if they have to compete, Apple, Google and other platforms will have an incentive to make their app stores better for both consumers. with Developer.
[ad_2]
Source link
