> ... Apple either increases their fees or decreases prices for an app that is also distributed elsewhere
I don't get why anyone should be paying Apple a rent for using a 3rd party app store (lets say exclusively).
As a hypothetical, lets say Epic Games or Steam launches an Alt App Store for games that can be installed on ios. Why does any gamedev using those stores have to pay Apple any transaction fee?
Just doesn't make any sense and would just be rent-seeking on Apple's part.
I don’t think developers should be paying a rent for using a third-party App Store. I meant it like that: if a developer wants to sell both in a third-party store and in the Apple apps store then Apple is not sole distributor. Losing exclusive selling rights, Apple has every right to cash in a higher fee.
Apple can charge whatever fee they want, provided they also allow alt app stores to operate and set their own fees and let the market decide whether they will download the widget from their App store or the 3rd party store.
Putting up anticompetitive defenses for the app store in the garb of security, censorship etc., while hamstringing alternatives for app installation -- It is a matter of time before the antitrust (or equivalent) units of different governments come after Apple.
For reference, Competition Commission of India penalized Google INR 1337 crores (INR 13,370,000,000 ~ $161M USD) for abusing its dominant position. [1]
From that link:
> For this purpose, the CCI delineated following five relevant markets in the present matter:
> - Market for licensable OS for smart mobile devices in India
> - Market for app store for Android smart mobile OS in India
> - Market for general web search services in India
> - Market for non-OS specific mobile web browsers in India
> - Market for online video hosting platform (OVHP) in India.
The second bullet point is pertinent for Apple's current behavior relating to App Stores.
Apple's market share in India is miniscule. But they have just opened up Apple retail in India this week with stores in Mumbai and Delhi. So, with local customers increasing in the next couple of years, this will be something Apple has to contend with.
I don't get why anyone should be paying Apple a rent for using a 3rd party app store (lets say exclusively).
As a hypothetical, lets say Epic Games or Steam launches an Alt App Store for games that can be installed on ios. Why does any gamedev using those stores have to pay Apple any transaction fee?
Just doesn't make any sense and would just be rent-seeking on Apple's part.