[spanhandler]

I absolutely agree. Forcing developers to abide by their store & platform rules if they want to sell to iOS users, coupled with the fact that of course everyone does want to sell to iOS users, is definitely a big part of why I find iOS so nice.

I also think smaller-time developers are underestimating the degree to which Apple's iOS market is attractive precisely because of the equilibrium brought about by that situation, and the overall value it brings to the user, and their consequent willingness to spend money there, as they cheer Epic on. Maybe I'm wrong and none of the market-creating rules Apple's enforced have anything to do with it, but I suspect too many tweaks may not kill that golden goose, but might well reduce its rate of egg-laying.

As I've repeated many times here, now, though, I'd love to see more platforms compete with iOS. Not with the app store. With iOS and its overall ecosystem.

[shaan7]

> As I've repeated many times here, now, though, I'd love to see more platforms compete with iOS. Not with the app store. With iOS and its overall ecosystem.

Isn't that a contradiction? App Store _IS_ "its overall ecosystem".

[spanhandler]

I mean another App Store with its own captured platform where you have to play by the rules if you want to distribute software on it. The whole package. Not another App Store on iOS. I do not want that.

[shaan7]

Ah ok. Well then Android is the only thing that'll satisfy that criteria. It is going to be _impossible_ for anything else to compete with iOS/Android because of the app ecosystem catch-22. Apps area the primary criteria that consumers base their purchase on, anything else (including UX) doesn't matter.

[spanhandler]

Huh. I believe you about the app thing—I assume there’s been a study or something—but I’m surprised. All the non-tech people in my life seem to choose their devices on two criteria: 1) price, 2) UX/familiarity. Mostly the former. If there’s a 3rd one it’s fashion.

[shaan7]

> devices on two criteria: 1) price, 2) UX/familiarity

Interesting. Won't you agree that before 1 and 2 there is an implied 0 - must be Android or iOS (so that it can run Uber, Amazon etc)?

EDIT: maybe you misunderstood when I said "anything else doesn't matter". What I mean by that is that if $device cannot run "common" apps then it is a no-go. However, if it can then people look at 1 and 2 for sure, you're right there.