Apple is cruising under forced control by state agencies and government agencies. It seems to satisfy some twist wherever it goes: alternative payment methods, removing features from existing hardware, allowing alternative app stores, and true browser native competition. , because trial rulings did not go as planned or because lawmakers regulated the preferred business method.
Apple doesn't enjoy this, and that should surprise no one. What's a bit more surprising is how willing Apple is to whine and cry to its customers about how much they don't like this and how harmful they think it will be for them. A ward with a weak will in some ways.
“Across all changes, Apple is introducing new safeguards that reduce, but do not eliminate, the new risks DMA poses to EU users,” reads the text from Apple's own press release announcing the newly implemented changes in iOS 17.4. no see. European digital markets law. The release also includes the statement, in large, bold font, as a second subheading: “Changes for users include new controls and disclosures, and expanded protections to reduce privacy and security risks posed by DMA.” there is.
Third-party app installation vectors and features like sideloading that are currently available on Android can actually pose additional risks to users who are uninformed and do not take the appropriate precautions or responsibility themselves to ensure that they are maintaining good software hygiene. Install reputable software from trusted sources. However, the aforementioned Android has been exposing users to this risk for quite some time, and Mac and Windows devices have always done the same, so Apple's scaremonger is likely exaggerating the problem. Somehow, despite this, society remains intact and people mostly agree to use these platforms with reasonable success.
Earlier this month, Apple also announced that developers can connect to the web to inform users about alternative subscription methods for content available as in-app digital purchases. However, there were a number of problems, including that how and where those links appeared was tightly controlled, and Apple had to give apps special permissions to allow them to do this in the first place. What's also really interesting is that Apple says that anyone who purchases through that link should get a 27% discount and throws up a scare sheet even while the user is following the link.
It's very understandable why Apple doesn't want to make this change. Apple's App Store control and purchase cut (typically 30%, with some exceptions) accounts for a significant portion of the service's revenue, and if eroded over time, could have a significant impact on its bottom line. What's less understandable is how grumpy the company is about keeping its fingers open in a clenched fist when it comes to compliance.
Lawmakers are already trying to poke at Apple's monolithic business in a variety of places to see if it's intruding into antitrust territory. Or, as in Europe, they are already enacting laws to limit Apple's control and power. Acting like a kicked puppy when it comes to actually implementing these things isn't going to convince regulators of Apple's argument that these kinds of measures aren't necessary and are actually hostile to users.
It seems short-sighted at best. That's right. Doing so would mean that Apple's revenue structure would remain essentially unchanged in the near term. But it also means the company seems extremely reluctant to cooperate with the spirit of lawmakers' efforts to increase competition and reduce the global influence of trillion-dollar companies like Apple. And developers are increasingly outraged by Apple's antics. While these bad feelings likely won't mean much for platforms like iOS, which are inevitable when building a mobile consumer software business because they have an unrivaled installed base, they could mean a lot for future efforts to keep emerging platforms out of the market. It will. Ground – Same as Apple Vision Pro.
This also means Apple may be more vulnerable to competitors in its core business areas. It may seem impossible at this point that iOS could lose its strong position in the mobile market, but strange things have happened, and developers who have felt sufficiently rejected and insulted are unlikely to help replicate the iPhone's lightning strike for others. This is higher. Things get bad enough.