Could a new App Store be coming to your iPhone?
Mark Gurman
Apple Inc. is preparing to allow alternative app stores on its iPhones and iPads, part of a sweeping overhaul aimed at complying with strict European Union requirements coming in 2024
Mark Gurman over at Bloomberg with quite the scoop if true. It’s not understating it to say that this would be a significant shift in policy from Apple, which has, since the introduction of the App Store in 2008, been the sole arbiter of what software can be installed on your iOS device.
In a former life, I was a professional iOS Developer, so I’m extremely familiar with the App Store and the somewhat opaque nature of it’s rules. I will admit that pushing software to the App Store can be an extremely frustrating process at times, and the 30% cut they take on pretty much every cent that flows through it is bordering on extortion, but nonetheless, part of me wonders if this is as consumer friendly a development as I’m sure many will hail it as.
If there’s anything people associate (thanks in part to Apple’s marketing team) with iPhone and iPad, it’s security and ease of use. And I think this is achieved in part by Apple’s monopolistic approach to iOS, so depending on the implementation of this reported policy I am somewhat concerned that it will damage these key associations in the minds of consumers, and with that the iOS App economy in the long run.
But only time will tell.