After 15 years, Apple's App Store faces competition, but only where it needs to.
Although the first iPhone started out with web-based applications without dedicated ones, Apple quickly realized that the former meant a much bigger business, so in the summer of 2008, the iOS App Store opened its doors, which was one of the most profitable digital services The company has been selling them ever since, with a commission of up to 15-30% reaching the pockets of Cupertino residents after every purchase.
No wonder Apple had no intention of allowing competitive app stores on its mobile operating system like Android, but the Digital Markets Act (DMA) adopted by the European Union in 2022 forced this on the company, so a new, freer era may soon come. .
In fact, the EU has granted a grace period until March 6, 2024 for large companies identified as gatekeepers affected by the DMA to adapt to the new rules, and according to this, the mostly informed Mark Gurman wrote in his recent newsletter (Power On) that within weeks Apple will be able to enable installation of apps from alternative sources on iPhone and iPad.
However, only EU users will be able to enjoy this, a Bloomberg According to his analyst, Apple will only allow sideloading here, while it will remain closed in the rest of the world until the company is forced to abandon its profitable strategy. Another important finding of the DMA is that, according to EU regulations, Cupertinos must give the green light to third-party payment solutions for in-app purchases.
Therefore, in theory, we could get a certain additional amount or a cheaper subscription to a particular application, if the developer offered an alternative payment service in addition to Apple's commission system. It is not yet known when the first competing application stores will appear, but there are already companies that have indicated their intention to launch, and have previously reported Mita also conducted experiments With the solution inside Facebook as well Microsoft is also on the movewith a special focus on games.
