EU antitrust chief to Tim Cook: Apple must allow third-party app stores::The European Union’s Margrethe Vestager has met with leaders of US Big Tech firms to discuss their operations in the EU, and with Apple’s Tim Cook concentrated on the App Store and Apple Music.
No, thank you. I will continue to use Apple’s App Store. What made me switch to the iPhone was the fact that I could trust the apps in the App Store. I knew there was no chance of downloading malware. It’s a liberating experience.
I don’t want it to be like Android.
I’ve been on android for 10+ years and never downloaded malware.
Don’t try to download cracked apps and you’ll be fine.
There have been some genuine apps that then download malware in the background, often after months.
But the same thing exists on the apple store.
I was going to say something similar, if you use the play Store you’re about as safe as you use the Apple app Store. They do the same kind of checks. Some apps that are allowed I would not personally install as I consider them spyware (like TikTok or anything by Meta).
You should always be considerate what you Install, if you Install a video call app that needs camera permission fine, if you Install a digital clock app that needs camera permission not fine at all.
Nobody is asking you yet. Once it becomes an option I guarantee some apps will decide that they’d prefer to use a third party store over the App Store and if that happens to be an app you use then you are essentially being asked to use other app stores.
This isn’t advocating for or against it, I’m just saying that if you think that this is purely additive and those who don’t want it can just not interact with it and get the same experience they have today then you’re being naive.
Regardless, it’s going to be interesting to watch. Smaller niche apps that don’t need discoverability will probably benefit, since if you need a niche app for something you’re probably prepared to put the effort into using a third party store. Large apps I suspect will go a hybrid model if they do anything at all (use both the App Store and a third party store, with the third party store having a lower price, although I guarantee it won’t be 30% less), and stuff in between will likely stay on the App Store unless there’s enough of a network effect to get enough users to a third party store to make it worth switching.
App developers are unlikely to take themselves off the Apple store it would remove themselves from a huge portion of the market they developed an iOS app for.
But they will find third party stores taking a smaller cut than Apple does. They will pass on some of that saving to the customer or find a way to encourage you not to use the Apple store if they get to keep a higher cut. Like earlier updates and feature releases.
That’s the point. Apple currently has a controlling monopoly on a market. Competition will lower prices for the consumer.
Anti-trust laws exist to do exactly this.
All it will take is a trustworthy company to launch a 3rd party app store. Then maybe you won’t mind.
Some companies like Cisco might just launch a store instead of putting their apps through Apple as they would like higher security than the App store provides.
Apple will also be forced into a competition to be the most secure app store too.
The likelihood is they’ll just play with the margins and do what’s necessary to keep a near monopoly but the possibility of competition is useful in itself. At the moment there isn’t even that.
Well, do you see it happening on Android for any major app except Fortnite?
Using the same logic: just don’t participate by not purchasing an apple product. There are alternatives out there, buy an android. I enjoy my walled garden, it’s a feature that I pay a premium for.
Enter everyone to tell me why I’m wrong and/or stupid (see replies below).
I got given an iPhone, owning a branded product isn’t as much of a choice as you’d think. And it really doesn’t change anything for you since you’d have to actively go out of your way normally to use a 3rd party app store. The walled garden is still there unless you go exploring.
I won’t call you names but this literally doesn’t make any sense to me. In no way would the apple app store be affected, your walled garden is safe. To (attempt to) extend the metaphor, this is like giving you the option to take walks in other gardens, but your walled garden is still where you left it, gate locked.
Yep right
Here’s 10 malware for iOS that don’t involve using a store
https://macpaw.com/amp/how-to/most-common-iphone-viruses
And then an article about malware from iOS store - for now hoping it’s not click bait, I’ll read it after work
https://lifehacker.com/great-now-the-apple-app-store-has-malware-too-1849386738
https://www.wired.com/story/apple-app-store-malware-click-fraud/
https://nypost.com/2024/01/02/tech/smartphone-users-warned-to-delete-these-17-dangerous-apps/
Now you will say, but I god-like smurt (smart), I wunt (won’t) download this, ofviously (obviously).
Don’t you think app developers should have the freedom of choice for app stores? Android has multiple places to get apps, lots of FOSS apps aren’t on play store, and likely aren’t on iOS at all. Having the option for 3rd party store gives not just users, but developers too, an option and access to more apps/users that wouldn’t otherwise be available. You want safe secure apps, that’s all good.
You mentioned that an app might move away from the app store to a 3rd party store, if you already use and trust that developer’s product how will having to get it from a different location change that?
Now, not to sound too harsh, but why your convenience of not having to go get another store more important than a devs ability to host their product in a different location?
No one is forcing you to use another app store. I’m sure the operating system will also allow you to turn off apps from unknown sources just like Android. More options for other people is not a bad thing. People paid for the device, they should be able to use it however they wish.
No freedom to choose
“Liberating”
Uh huh. Try thinking about other people. Just because you don’t want freedom doesn’t mean other people don’t deserve it. You can always just choose to stick to Apple’s crap if you really want to. But right now, people can’t choose what they want because gaining control over their own damn device is so difficult by design. That’s the point.
