Re:Apple Announces App Store Small Business Program
by arrosenberg on Wednesday November 18, 2020 @02:11PM
(#25141030)
The point is that Apple and Google have used their market power in other verticals (hardware, services) to lock all other competitors out of the mobile app distribution market. They are acting as private regulators of who can publish a mobile app, which is unacceptable if we still claim to support competitive, public markets.
How would a consumer even know if they were happy given the lack of options? Are they actually happy, or do they just have bigger issues to worry about? That's why we hire experts to act as regulators for new industries.
Re:Apple Announces App Store Small Business Program
by whimsicalism on Wednesday November 18, 2020 @10:42AM
(#25137996)
Well glad we live in a country with laws and not a pseudo-libertarian "all governance by consumer choice" world.
Regardless of what you think "should" happen, the reality is that you massively understated the scope of the applicable law.
I also think it shouldn't be up to courts. It should be up to the consumers themselves. They generally seem quite happy with Apple and Google.
On the other hand, if there is a consumer need that is not being met by Google or Apple, it is a prime opportunity to disrupt the market with a new offering that fulfills that need. If Google or Apple stamp that out or have done so in the past, then I will agree it's an anti-competition issue.