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A comment on Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly revealing. Parent comment

Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve... by czzr on Sunday May 23, 2021 @01:03PM (#27256579)
If a major app moves to a different App Store, people will install the second (and third, and fourth, etc.) No one will say “oh, well, I want Instagram because all my friends have it but I’m not going to install Facebook’s store to get it because I want to keep my phone secure.”

The problem is that security and privacy benefits are somewhat intangible and hidden, so they are not enough to convince people to weight them heavily - this is the same reason why people download random software off the net and why the web is such a mess of trackers.

Apple’s approach tries to remove the need for users to think about the issue at all. Of course, it has downsides as well, but don’t underestimate what the ecosystem would be giving up once the door is opened to multiple stores.

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Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve... by mthoms on Sunday May 23, 2021 @02:53PM (#27257523)
Developers won't leave the App Store if Apple are offering good value to them and their customers.

If Apple stops offering good value (fair policies, commissions), then Apple should be "punished" by losing business.

Offering competing stores provides a strong incentive for Apple to make theirs even better. Developers would win and consumers would win. The only "loser" would be Apple (at least as far as short term financials are concerned).

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Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve... by llukas on Sunday May 23, 2021 @07:11PM (#27259469)
Facebook, instagram or any ad-backed app users are the product not the customer.
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Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve... by mthoms on Sunday May 23, 2021 @07:32PM (#27259597)
Granted. But the underlying principle is the same, no? If Apple is offering better discovery, consumer protections, policies and support, then they should have the better store experience.

For the record, I think they are offering the best experience at present (by a long shot). That isn't guaranteed going forward though, and I believe competition here would be healthy.

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