.
Mobile App Stores Are Ruled by Anti-Competitive Policies
Apple and Google use their control over the iOS and Android operating systems to favor themselves by controlling the products and features available to consumers. Apple and Google require equipment manufacturers to limit options, force developers to sell through their app stores, and even steal ideas from competitors. Below outlines a case study from Tile that illustrates these monopolist behaviors.
Case Study: Tile
Apple has manipulated its rules and policies to disadvantage Tile, a popular Bluetooth-finding hardware and app developer, in favor of its competing Find My App.
In a scenario that harkens back to the browser wars of the 90s, Apple pre-installs Find My by default on all iOS devices and renders it impossible to delete. In addition, as reported by The Washington Post, Apple made changes to its Find My app to compete more directly with Tile. At the exact same time, Apple made changes to iOS that made it harder for consumers to access the location data needed for Tile to work, while leaving Find My’s streamlined data access intact. Apple also simultaneously began serving disarmingly frequent prompts to Tile customers to disable Tile location data access, leaving the consumer with no clear explanation of how to assess and control their location data settings accurately. Of course, no similar prompts were served to turn off Find My.
Around the same time, credible reports began surfacing that Apple was planning to launch Tile-like Bluetooth finding hardware that would leverage ultra-wideband (UWB) chips in iPhone 11 devices. UWB is a non-proprietary technology that enhances the finding experience. Yet, Apple prohibits competing apps like Tile from using UWB — ultimately denying equitable technology access to customers.
In its usual refrain against similar complaints, Apple responded a concern for consumer privacy justifies its anti-competitive behavior. However, it’s widely known that Apple pays close attention to privacy when it serves its competitive interest to do so. And not so much when it doesn’t.
A perfect example of Apple’s abuse of its market dominance to eliminate competition is its new Find My Network. Couched as a pro-competitive concession, Apple recently announced it will allow companies to access Find My Network data to the same extent as Apple. Yet again, the details prove that Apple has ulterior motives.
Buried within the Find My Network rules is the requirement that access to Find My Network data requires the Find My app to exclude competing apps like Tile. Apple will also own the relationship with the Tile or competing app customers. Clearly, the Find My Network move was aimed at eradicating competition at the app level while simultaneously bolstering Find My.
Worse yet, with the Find My Network, consumers lose the ability to use the Tile service across iOS and Android. This means if you use a Tile on the Find My Network to keep track of the family car keys, but one spouse uses an iPhone and the other an Android, only one of them is allowed to locate their keys. Apple shouldn’t have this much power over personal experiences and activities — no one gave them the power and regulators need to ensure the anti-competitive behavior is kept in check.
It appears that Apple obtained a "gatekeeper" role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple's popular devices … We need to ensure that Apple's rules do not distort competition in markets where Apple is competing with other app developers, for example with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books. I have therefore decided to take a close look at Apple's App Store rules and their compliance with EU competition rules.
What doesn’t feel fair is Apple curates the App Store, so if you’re trending and charting you still may not be visible unless they want you to.
Our subcommittee staff obviously reviewed the guidelines and they precisely say that app developers should have original ideas, that copycat ideas are unfair and Apple’s customers don’t want those. On the other hand the app developer agreement, which you require every developer to agree to does give Apple the right to copy other apps and so the question is why the one rule for the developers that compete with you and the opposite rule for Apple?
The fact that they have the power to kick you out of the store and cut your revenue stream with no notice is nothing short of absurd.
I've always been made to jump through nonsensical hoops, remove features, etc.
We've dealt back-channel style with capricious rejections for years and years and it's so exhausting.
.
30% “App Tax” on Creators and Consumers
For most purchases made within the app stores, or through in-app payments, Apple and Google take as much as 30% of the purchase price. No other transaction fee — in any industry — comes close. This app tax cuts deeply into consumer purchasing power and developer revenue. This app tax is especially unfair when it is imposed on apps that compete directly with those sold by Apple, driving up their prices and putting them at a distinct competitive disadvantage.