Biden Administration Report Recommends Sweeping Changes to Apple's Ecosystem

[MBAir2010]

The only reason Trump was anti-TikTok was because everyone on there was making videos that hurt his feefees. He didn't care a thing about spying by Gyna (as he calls it)

no
they TikTok did not filter those videos of 14years old girls having sex with their 21 year boyfriends in October 2022
which is rampantly online now, and a disgrace towards hunatity.
this has to stop, and I advocated against this in October to several senators
but noooooo, freedom of something......

 

[X38]

Just let the market place decide.
No need nor Constitutional justification for government intervention here.

 

[lartola]

They get 30% on less than 2% of apps. 85% of apps pay Apple nothing but the $99 developer fee.

Not true. Yes, few apps in the appstore are paid apps, but most of the apps available in the appstore that are free to download still have in-app purchases, and apple gets its 30% cut from those in-app sales too (which is why epic, for instance, wanted to bill its users outside the appstore). Very few apps are completely free as in free to download + no in-app purchases.

 

[BaldiMac]

Not true. Yes, few apps in the appstore are paid apps, but most of the apps available in the appstore that are free to download still have in-app purchases, and apple gets its 30% cut from those in-app sales too (which is why epic, for instance, wanted to bill its users outside the appstore). Very few apps are completely free as in free to download + no in-app purchases.

Nope. 85% are free with no in app purchase.

App Store - Developing for the App Store

The App Store gives developers a safe and trusted platform to build, market, and distribute their apps and grow their business around the world.

www.apple.com

98% qualify for the small business program and pay only 15%.

Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent for most developers starting January 1st

A substantial change to Apple’s longstanding App Store cut.

www.theverge.com

Only the top 2% pay 30%, but some of those are subscriptions which may qualify for 15%.

So, like I said, less than 2% of developers pay 30%. That's why complaining about the 30% is disingenuous. All of the lobbying for these changes is about billion dollar companies taking a cut from trillion dollar companies. The claims that it's about small developers or consumers are simply meant to tug on heart strings to gain popular support.

App Store prices are already low for consumers. Small developers already get fantastic value for the fees they pay. People clamoring about side loading are a tiny fringe primarily interested in piracy and emulators.

 

[lartola]

Nope. 85% are free with no in app purchase.

App Store - Developing for the App Store

The App Store gives developers a safe and trusted platform to build, market, and distribute their apps and grow their business around the world.

www.apple.com

98% qualify for the small business program and pay only 15%.

Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent for most developers starting January 1st

A substantial change to Apple’s longstanding App Store cut.

www.theverge.com

Only the top 2% pay 30%, but some of those are subscriptions which may qualify for 15%.

So, like I said, less than 2% of developers pay 30%.

Oh yeah I forgot the cut was reduced to 15% a while ago.

 

[tranceme]

Biden is a dummy.

Now that is out of the way. I'm fine with all of this as long as I can also choose a different government. Dummies clearly have a mononpoly in the US.

I have said a few times. But, people can just buy a non iPhone. This is just silly. I have friends with zero Apple devices and are just fine.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Soon it will be easier to list the countries that aren’t investigating Apple for anticompetitive behavior.

The list of gold diggers that is.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Ahhh the puppet in the white house, with his strings being pulled by the highest bidder. Wind him up and watch him mumble.

What "administration" gets into the weeds with this kind of stuff?? Does anyone take this administration seriously at all?

Shoot down the "weather ballon" Joey.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Biden is a dummy.

Now that is out of the way. I'm fine with all of this as long as I can also choose a different government. Dummies clearly have a mononpoly in the US.

I have said a few times. But, people can just buy a non iPhone. This is just silly. I have friends with zero Apple devices and are just fine.

The vast majority of people have zero Apple devices. This is jealousy and envy at its finest. Billionares wanting to become trillionares.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

About time.

I spend over £1000 to open my device, I should be able to pick my default apps and side load apps without being burped and hugged by Apple’s creepy old men who decide what we should be allowed to view on something I’ve paid for.

iOS isn’t a service, it’s childish software that should work like macOS and android.

Side loading works perfectly on android, you get warnings and a switch to block it.

Why did you ever get an iPhone then? Like you said side loading work on Android....off you go. Best of luck.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Success is not illegal. 2 billion plus people like their Apple devices and eco system. The government effs everything up, please stay as far away as you can.

 

[svish]

Apple will have to comply with the rules across the world. Expecting to see changes in future versions of iOS.

 

[lartola]

I have said a few times. But, people can just buy a non iPhone.

That has to be an android, because really there is no other kind of non-iphone. With iphone and android being the only two available options to choose from, I’d rather have no phone at all. I dislike both.

 

[amartinez1660]

no
they TikTok did not filter those videos of 14years old girls having sex with their 21 year boyfriends in October 2022
which is rampantly online now, and a disgrace towards hunatity.
this has to stop, and I advocated against this in October to several senators
but noooooo, freedom of something......

by the tone and angle of many commenters here, that one included, it’s probably better to not engage… there’s absolutely no intention of a debate.

At the beginning of this thread, there was an analogy of Krispy Kreme becoming so successful because of their donuts and by consequence big. That it would be crazy if the government would force them to sell Dunkin Donuts because DD complained that they want a piece of their pie too, you know “for the customer that doesn’t know any better what they chose”.
That comment got substantial dislikes, meaning, that yes, that people agree that they should open up shop for other donuts… and maybe even free of fees.

At last it had more likes, but still disheartening. This App Store thing is just a symptom of a sort of a disease already going world wide.

Nope. 85% are free with no in app purchase.

App Store - Developing for the App Store

The App Store gives developers a safe and trusted platform to build, market, and distribute their apps and grow their business around the world.

www.apple.com

98% qualify for the small business program and pay only 15%.

Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent for most developers starting January 1st

A substantial change to Apple’s longstanding App Store cut.

www.theverge.com

Only the top 2% pay 30%, but some of those are subscriptions which may qualify for 15%.

So, like I said, less than 2% of developers pay 30%. That's why complaining about the 30% is disingenuous. All of the lobbying for these changes is about billion dollar companies taking a cut from trillion dollar companies. The claims that it's about small developers or consumers are simply meant to tug on heart strings to gain popular support.

App Store prices are already low for consumers. Small developers already get fantastic value for the fees they pay. People clamoring about side loading are a tiny fringe primarily interested in piracy and emulators.

Wish this comment was closer to the beginning. Great breakdown.

 

[wbeasley]

Oh noes oh noes ...

Poor Kevin... so you want options but only limited options...

What about all the people calling for add any game to any console?
It's the same thing.

Open one door, open them all

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Apple didn't exactly develop a new industry. Smartphones were around before the iPhone came along.

Anyway, the point of my hypothetical carriers example was about having a dominant position to control the market which could stifle competition and innovation. iOS and Android have dominant positions in the mobile OS market and as such their actions can have much greater consequences to the market, competition, etc. which is why there is greater regulatory scrutiny.

A number of companies invest significant money in their products but that doesn't give them the right to engage in anticompetition behavior and violate antitrust laws/regulations.

Perhaps Apple should use some of its tremendous wealth and resources to innovate iOS so that it can be safe and secure for users while still following laws and regulations that seek to allow for more open competition and choice in the market when it comes to thing like app access, alternative app stores, alternative payment systems, alternative browser engines, etc. on dominant mobile platforms.

These laws and regulations could give Apple more of a push to make iOS even better, safer and more secure than it is now. That would be a GOOD thing.

I’m not referring to the smartphone industry — this is about the mobile app industry that Apple created, which is what the proposed legislation is seeking to regulate and control.

Prior to 2007, there was no iPhone and no mobile app industry that could efficiently distribute mobile apps. Since the App Store was first introduced, Apple has been consistent with their commission and has only reduced it. They have spent tremendous resources in creating a marketplace for independent app developers to distribute their apps at very little cost.

Prior to the App Store, it was challenging for an independent developer to show their software to others around world, and the cost of distribution would have made it unsustainable or next to impossible. Apple has invested billions into developing this platform and continues to invest in tools to help developers.

What seems to be missed is the internet, which can be accessed on any platform and doesn’t require the App Store to operate. If a developer doesn’t like the terms offered in the App Store, why don’t they just develop for the web?

 

[kugino]

cool. looking forward to torrenting on my phone...and getting phone STDs in the process...

 

[drew627]

To all the naysayers moaning that their security will be compromised if sideloading is implemented…

Guess what? The  App Store isn’t going anywhere. Everyone can still use the App Store.

The push for sideloading is to benefit developers, not end user customers.

The whiners are arguing in bad faith. Nothing that upsets their Apple Overlord shall be accepted.

 

[drew627]

When you amass wealth to an extent that you can sway international politics and your products are the foundation of everyone's integration into society, you have a social responsibility to do what would benefit consumers, which in this case would be opening up the ecosystem to allow for competition in various areas of services. Apple may be a private, self-governed entity, but their influences affect everyone (just look at how Apple being upset was one of the deciding factors in China finally giving up on its draconian zero covid policy) and they should be held to a higher, public standard. This is what late stage capitalists always fail to understand. At this point, Apple cannot cry about "but it's my money my ecosystem". Evading their social responsibility for profits and walled-garden monopoly is simply unacceptable.

 

[AppliedMicro]

So, like I said, less than 2% of developers pay 30%

...but those developers generate 95% (!) of App Store revenue - which you conveniently forgot to mention from your own link. And given that the threshold is only a million dollars, it is disingenuous to portray that as only an issue between billion and trillion dollar companies.

At the beginning of this thread, there was an analogy of Krispy Kreme becoming so successful because of their donuts and by consequence big. That it would be crazy if the government would force them to sell Dunkin Donuts because DD complained that they want a piece of their pie too, you know “for the customer that doesn’t know any better what they chose”.
That comment got substantial dislikes, meaning, that yes, that people agree that they should open up shop for other donuts… and maybe even free of fees.

Anyone can easily make their own doughnuts and open up a competing donut shop. Dunkin Donuts doesn't lock in consumers into their ecosystem and doesn't (in effect) prevent anyone from selling doughnuts to 50% of the population without contracting with Dunkin Donuts. And there's no 500 USD or 1000 USD initial platform commitment for consumers to become a Donut consumer as there is in the smartphone market (with the purchase of a device).

 

[SanderEvers]

It's not a trivial task to consider. Look at differences using this documentation

Apple Platform Security

Learn how security is implemented in Apple hardware, software, apps, and services.

support.apple.com

This exposes what IOS and MacOS offers comparably if you look at table of contents -> app security -> app security is IOS and IPadOS or App security for MacOS.

View attachment 2153039

Unlike other mobile platforms, iOS and iPadOS don’t allow users to install potentially malicious unsigned apps from websites or to run untrusted apps. At runtime, code signature checks that all executable memory pages are made as they are loaded to help ensure that an app hasn’t been modified since it was installed or last updated.

After an app is verified to be from an approved source, iOS and iPadOS enforce security measures designed to prevent it from compromising other apps or the rest of the system.

You can already sideload apps onto iOS right now. And if you have a developer subscription you can even sign apps yourself and put them on your devices indefinitely.

And of course, security should still be a part of the Open iOS. So apps should still run purely in a sandbox (like now). But they should not be forced to use the Apple review system. And allow for apps to install other apps (third party stores).

Apple could even create an "Unsigned App Store" and allow beginning developers to create, test and publish apps without requiring a $99/year fee. If you want to publish the app on the official App Store, you will have to pay the developer fee and on the "closed" iOS you can only install apps through the official App Store. (or with a paid developer account)

 

[dzankizakon]

Apple didn't move a single inch in recent years to satisfy legislators and now they suddenly have to shift their platform majorly.

It didn't matter. Now matter what they did, the outcome would have been the same. Even if they had allowed outside payments, some would request alternative app stores so they can have complete freedom from app review process.

Even when they allow alternative app stores, some will demand access to Apple private APIs making compatibility a nightmare, some will ask to alter iOS process scheduling (so they can run their apps at higher priority than others), ask for APIs for direct access to various hardware, they will demand that Apple doesn't change hardware from one iPhone model to another so their software doesn't break... and on and on. It will never end - Apple knew it all along. iOS will turn into Android for those who install alternative app stores.

 

[AppliedMicro]

some will demand access to Apple private APIs making compatibility a nightmare, some will ask to alter iOS process scheduling (so they can run their apps at higher priority than others), ask for APIs for direct access to various hardware

They can ask all they want. Apple doesn't have to give in. Except the API thing maybe, so that Apple doesn't self-prefer their own apps or apps bought through their stores.

they will demand that Apple doesn't change hardware from one iPhone model to another

Let's not get too far into fantasy land, shall we?

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Poor Kevin... so you want options but only limited options...

What about all the people calling for add any game to any console?
It's the same thing.

Open one door, open them all

Great, works on the Mac.

 

[wbeasley]

by the tone and angle of many commenters here, that one included, it’s probably better to not engage… there’s absolutely no intention of a debate.

At the beginning of this thread, there was an analogy of Krispy Kreme becoming so successful because of their donuts and by consequence big. That it would be crazy if the government would force them to sell Dunkin Donuts because DD complained that they want a piece of their pie too, you know “for the customer that doesn’t know any better what they chose”.
That comment got substantial dislikes, meaning, that yes, that people agree that they should open up shop for other donuts… and maybe even free of fees.

At last it had more likes, but still disheartening. This App Store thing is just a symptom of a sort of a disease already going world wide.

Wish this comment was closer to the beginning. Great breakdown.

nailed it. perfectly