The most likely outcome from App Store legal action isnt very different from the status quo and thats a good thing. The future of the App Store:
I disagree that Facebook would pull its Apps from the iOS App Store if side loading were allowed. Android allows side loading and serves more FB customers than iOS, yet there`s no FB App Store for Android.
This is just the entre. Main course is yet to come. Apple would be wise to completely rethink their App Store future right now.
I slightly disagree: Facebook-owned WhatsApp is available for the Mac, both on the App Store and as a side-loaded app. Messenger is an App Store only app. FB don`t want to lose audience by not being in the App Store. If it works for macOS, it can work for iOS.
Not that we wanted to charge using CC in the app necessarily but there is a use case where a hotel might sell/giveaway a coupon code to download content at the front desk and charge it to the guests room. Current Apple rules forbid this without super hacky workarounds. 2/2
Current Apple rules are just not enforced at all. Just found a competitors app blatantly allows in app credit card purchases for 100% digital content, no IAP option (which we got shot down for many times). I hope that with the change rules can be applied evenly. 1/2 "Apples App Store is the devil we know. " Sums it up for me.
I agree that Facebook would probably be one of the first to go the exclusive store route. Everyone keeps saying they didnt do that on Android. No shit, its because they still had to use the App Store on iOS. If that went away, Facebook would have a field day on all phones!
Good list! May I suggest some large changes, that seem to be implementable without much potential harm?
I am just not clear why doesn`t "7 app stores" doomsday scenario happen on android, where alternative app stores are possible, but no one installs them.
"App Review will be extremely harsh, inconsistent, capricious, petty, and punitive with their enforcement" does not seem like a good thing.
Excellent take. I truly enjoyed reading this. Glad youre blogging again.
Well said.
This is a much more positive take than I was expecting, but I agree with it 100%. I mean, we`re all still buying Apple stuff for a reason, and one of those reasons is because they`re a decidedly better actor than Facebook and their ilk.
Most importantly, many products, services, and business models will become possible that previously werent How do you figure? With all the restrictions you mentioned before getting to this, I dont see how previously impossible business models suddenly work.
A great read. The fourth point in your "Allowing external purchases" bulleted list is depressingly likely.
While I acknowledge your predictions for sideloading as logical, why haven`t they already happened on Android?
Great post, thanks for laying it out.
