I think Apple loses money on the app store policing app privacy and content even with a 30% cut. If they had to do it for 3rd parties app stores without the financial benefit, I wonder what impact that would have to app turnaround time (back up to 2 weeks+). Eventually, a third party app store may end up with iOS anti-virus and malware software like on Android as well as much of the malware just getting through. I suspect counterfeiting will go up as well like on Android.

The App Store generated $15bn in profit last year for Apple. Fortnite alone made them more than $300k per day. They definitely aren't losing money on it.

I haven't kept track of the profits of the Apple App Store, but I was remembering when it made them $3bn in one year and with the overhead after keeping 1/3 of that on their %30, they called the App Store a loss center that helped them sell iPhones and iPads. I think this reluctance to run the App Store carries over to macOS, which is why I assume they are merging it. The macOS App Store doesn't sell macs so they are likely going to remove it like they did with Ping and iTunes.

If the app store generated $54.2bn in revenue in 2019, then Apple only keeps about $16.25bn assuming a 30% cut. I can see why they would want to expand that in to the macOS now, but I don't think they are willing to part with that to a third party like Google or Amazon, as they could dominate them on their own platform.

Apple makes billions in profit from the App Store. It increases by double digits each year still too.

Quick search will show articles. Some might point straight to their earnings.

I read it as “privacy policies cost Apple money” as in the App Store would be more profitable if they didn’t have these policies.

Privacy saves Apple money and causes customer retention. It is not a monopoly tactic, so Apple will increase their userbase's privacy as much as possible. I imagine they will become the inverse Google in that regard.

> Why couldn't Apple do this but place requirements on the additional app stores

They wouldn't get the 30% cut.