Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by threeseed 855 days ago
There is no loop hole.

Apple is able to charge a per-sale license fee for using their SDKs same as Epic, Microsoft etc.

There isn't a single court or government in the world who has disagreed with this.

2 comments

No thats not the intent of the newly passed digital markets act which will come into effect soon.

But I am happy to come back to you when the EU takes action though!

Anti-trust laws are perfectly legal. We can make and enforce laws that force Apple to change, just like laws exist in all parts of the world.

You have invented that intent.

Because it is not in the act nor have there been any public statements about it.

The intent was for people to be able to freely sideload apps.

Also, it is in the law. There was a specific part where it said that gatekeepers cannot sidestep the law via contractual terms, or something similar to that.

But once again, I am more that happy to come back to you when the EU regulators take action against Apple, to force them to comply.

Will you admit that you are wrong if action is taken by the EU regulators against Apple?

I think you're completely missing the point.

The problem is not access to the SDK, the problem is that Apple is locking down their platform to competitors. They can't sell apps or content without giving a commission to the "gate keeper" Apple.

Epic is not one of the biggest device manufacturers. And Microsoft is definitively not locking out third party developers from Windows. Everyone can just sell Windows applications without paying Microsoft a dime. Windows is even fully open to PWAs, with the Edge browser from Microsoft or any other third party browser.

> They can't sell apps or content without giving a commission to the "gate keeper" Apple

Again. There isn't a single court or government that has said this is not permitted.

Including the EU.

False, that's exactly what the Digital Markets Act is about.

Apple is trying to circumvent it right now with those new fees, and I think this won't hold in court.

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-...