And yet, the Play Store is still the dominant app market within the Android ecosystem despite Google's lackadaisical caretaking of it (leading to security and quality issues). This situation would only be heightened in an opened iOS situation, because Apple would still maintain control as is its wont, and because most consumers would be fine staying with the App Store.
> The other is that secondary app stores are basically crippled on Android by comparison to the play store, which is why Epic is also suing google.
Which is a situation that could likely repeat in a (semi-)open iOS for any number of reasons, Epic's legal adventures notwithstanding.
> It just isn’t comparable, so you can’t use it as an example of what would happen.
I disagree. Even if it doesn't exactly repeat, it's likely very similar to it. Ultimately, iOS and Android are more similar than different in that they were both created and promoted by a single business entity. We're not talking about an ecosystem launched by a secondary less powerful company (webOS) or an open source project (Firefox OS, Ubuntu Mobile).
> I think we ultimately need a more open environment where what people can install is not controlled by Apple.
We agree on that.
> If on the other hand we get a court mandated soliton, or anti-trust action, I think we’ll end up further away from a truly open, competitive environment than ever. All the air will be sucked out of that possibility into what will effectively be a government authorized cartel.
I think given the anemic nature of antitrust action in this country over the past few decades, this is likely politically infeasible, a doomsday scenario bordering on hysteria. Hence, we arrive full-circle: scaremongering.
Google is not a model for what would happen if Apple was forced to open the App Store.
There are two reasons for this. One is that Google isn’t the app market leader and so the pressures aren’t there.
The other is that secondary app stores are basically crippled on Android by comparison to the play store, which is why Epic is also suing google.
It just isn’t comparable, so you can’t use it as an example of what would happen.
I’m not bringing moral weight really. I think Apple provides a lot of benefits to users and developers.
I think we ultimately need a more open environment where what people can install is not controlled by Apple.
However I just don’t believe that the competitors who want access to Apple’s customers have any incentive to maintain an open marketplace or to serve developers.
They have every incentive to fight bitterly and use their own assets of one kind or another to lock-up parts of that market and to try to monopolize it just as Apple has.
That just isn’t going to be good for developers.
If Epic’s grousing leads to better terms from Apple, with Apple still in control, then I’d agree that it was ultimately a win for everyone (even including Apple).
If on the other hand we get a court mandated soliton, or anti-trust action, I think we’ll end up further away from a truly open, competitive environment than ever.
All the air will be sucked out of that possibility into what will effectively be a government authorized cartel.