[yawn]

This sentiment comes up every time people complain about the App Store. If you only want to use Apple's App Store, great--keep using it the same way you've always been using it. Nothing will change for _you_.

> What I don’t get is the angry soap box lectures from the people who disagree.

The failure of people to put themselves in other people's shoes is mind-boggling sometimes. There's a reason why so many people are angry.

[mojzu]

While I mostly agree with you, I think there are some reasonable arguments for why allowing alternative app stores could degrade the iOS experience, for example:

  - Security, no matter how many warnings you throw up/hoops you make users jump through some number will be convinced to install scammy app stores and apps and then will blame Apple for it. And I imagine the App store has some deep hooks into the rest of iOS which would be difficult to change without opening potential security holes
  - Fragmentation, competition is great if it serves the user, but multiple app stores could just mean an explosion of exclusivity arrangements and other user-hostile tactics that companies use to try and gain market share

[Apocryphon]

That concern of Facebook or Google launching their own third party app stores and being successful at it are probably overblown. At the very least, even if they did do that, they would be unlikely to take their apps off of the existing App Store.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30280457

[mojzu]

The points in that post make sense to me, I'm not too worried about the major players breaking away from the app store (although if it's anything like streaming/TV some may try it). I think the more likely scenario is that some smaller App developers break away from the store for one reason or another, and then users are asked to install yet more app stores/use yet more payment providers when it provides no benefit to them, or risk losing their Apps/data.

For all the problems with Apple's rules I do believe some of them at least prevent some of the shenanigans that go on in other platforms and reduce the cognitive overhead of managing software on user devices (which may partly explain why iOS users are happier to spend more money on their devices/apps)

[Apocryphon]

> I think the more likely scenario is that some smaller App developers break away from the store for one reason or another, and then users are asked to install yet more app stores/use yet more payment providers when it provides no benefit to them, or risk losing their Apps/data.

I think that there would be as much friction against smaller developers doing that, as against the big players. Same headache for users of having to set up and deal with multiple memberships and payment methods would still apply. The smaller indie devs would be disinclined to do that for the most part. What will end up happening is that there might be one or two major alternative app stores at most, and probably well-curated by the most dedicated and motivated of volunteers. On Android, that exists with F-Droid, which is a useful case study of how an independent third party App store for hobbyists can arise. These niches will exist for those who choose to pursue them but users will not be “forced” to go to them as they will not need those stores.

Your point about streaming/TV apps make sense, like the major gaming publishers, they both have unique content that might be the most compelling reason for users to pursue them, and the most motivation to get away from the 30% cut.

[yepthatsreality]

Apple pundits will never be able to do this unless the other pair of shoes were made by Apple.

[dkonofalski]

Or maybe we already have put ourselves in their shoes and realize that they have other options that fulfill their qualms regarding Apple?

>If you only want to use Apple's App Store, great--keep using it the same way you've always been using it. Nothing will change for _you_.

And if you don't want to use Apple's App Store, don't. Nothing will change for _you_ when they do something.

[squeaky-clean]

> If you only want to use Apple's App Store, great--keep using it the same way you've always been using it. Nothing will change for _you_.

That's not really true. The security implications. The effort of having to fix my mom's phone because she got tricked into sideloading something.

The last day of my dad's life in a hospital bed was interrupted by my mom's malware filled android phone playing voice advertisements for a casino app every 30 minutes. It was from some supposed "emoji pack" she installed online. I got her an iPhone the next week.

Let me have a locked down device. Opening it up will negatively affect the experience of users who want that.