[blashyrk]

Apple can get away with this because it doesn't (directly) affect their users, only the developers.

Even with all the racketeering, the developers don't really have a choice; choosing to leave the Apple platform and their racketeering ring means losing out on a huge user base and (potential) profits.

At this stage it would take a "union" of sorts, a bunch of developers of big/popular apps and services to collectively boycott Apple in order for them to loosen their iron grip, but that will never happen because of the aforementioned reasons.

[barelysapient]

Apple "gets away with it" because it is what users prefer.

These users are the same folks who prefer and pay a premium for Apple technology.

If the market had a better product Apple's users would flock to it.

But the market doesn't. And we're left well meaning backseat drivers who insist on "fixing things".

[hulitu]

> These users are the same folks who prefer and pay a premium for Apple technology.

Or those who are mobbed into Apple products.

[goodSteveramos]

How do you know users would prefer the Apple store to a third party iOS store if no other stores on iOS exist?

[barelysapient]

Because there are phones for sale with more open and/or 3rd party stores are available. And most consumers don't buy those phones. So, said another way, phones with that feature have a competitive advantage, right?

But the consumer doesn't care. Consumers instead are choosing phones based on other features.

Now, what happens on iOS once the 3rd party stores get forced in? Who knows. It'll be fun to watch. Generally, consumers probably won't give a shit. After all, if they valued this feature, they'd purchase a phone with it.

The people who do care generally aren't consumers. It remains to be seen they can can shift consumer behavior.

That said, I think new genre's of apps might be able to provoke a change. Stuff like porn, hacker apps, apps that appeal to niche communities, all that Apple would never allow...If one of those apps becomes super popular, then the 3rd party stores will become interesting.

[goodSteveramos]

How do you know people wouldn't buy more iPhones if there were more App stores on it?

[barelysapient]

Apple wants to sell more phones, sure -- but not at the expense of their values or brand.

So, say we get an amazing third party store. And its loaded with world class apps like "AR Butt Plug", "Is that a Jew?" and "SNES9X". Well, new customers might be drawn to Apple's ecosystem that previous weren't customers.

But those are customers and use cases that Apple probably doesn't want.

[the_third_wave]

Why do you use those inflammatory examples and not, say, the following:

So, say we get an amazing third party store named F-Ios which is loaded with world class free software like Fennec (non-mozilla Firefox build), TermIos (Termux on Android) and IosPipe (Newpipe on Android). Well, new customers might be drawn to Apple's ecosystem that previous weren't customers.

Imagine the possibilities offered by adding an iOS version of the Android F-Droid repo. That would draw customers which thus far shun Apple like the plague.

> But those are customers and use cases that Apple probably doesn't want.

Unfortunately you're most likely right here in that Apple does not want to give its customers the freedom to choose to evade its toll booths by choosing free software - they want to remain in control.

[goodSteveramos]

you claimed apple’s customers dont want an alternative app store. I asked you how you could possibly know that if none exist. You responded by saying that actually is just APPLE that doesnt want alternative app stores. Do you take back your earlier claim that Apple’s CUSTOMERS dont care about having alternative app stores?

[charcircuit]

>the developers don't really have a choice; choosing to leave the Apple platform

They do have a choice. Developing and supporting an iOS app will take $x amount of money and will have a potential return on investment of $y. If the return on investment is not high enough developers have no reason to release or update an iOS app and should focus on other development, working on something else that will have a greater return.

[goodSteveramos]

If all large third party app developers boycotted the App Store and set up a successful alternative and then forbade Apps on their store from have any additional functionality when distributed through Apple’s store, the Apple fanboys would decry this as anticompetitive and unfair. Which is precisely why those developers should do that.