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A Jury Will Decide If Google's App Store Is an Unjust Monopoly
(www.wired.com)
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this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2023
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The Play Store is installed by default, and doesn't allow other app stores to be listed. So the only way to install another one, is to go out on the net and download an APK directly. When you try to install it, the system gives you a warning that it can be dangerous. Just those two hurdles are enough to ensure the vast majority of users will never leave the hurdle-less Play Store.
Surely the warning is justified though? Yes it's a hurdle, but it seems reasonable and other platforms also warn users about apps from unverified sources, so it is common within the industry. If the play store is determined to be a monopoly, and gets broken up or off, I think a warning would still be warranted.
The default install thing used to be an issue, i.e. MS Explorer, but people seem to have stopped caring since all OS's now have pre-installed junk.
I guess the argument could be made thst the play store should allow downloading of other app stores? I'd be in favor of that, but I don't know if the courts can force something like that.
99% of of users never get over that hurdle, which makes it unreasonable. "Monopoly" is the wrong term to use and it distracts from the issue - the better term is "Market Power". Google has enough power to have a potentially damaging impact on the industry. With that power comes responsibility to not do any damage - that's not just my opinion it's also the law (not in those exact words obviously).
Also - the apps are from "unverified sources" because Google deliberately refuses to verify them. They're happy to verify and assign a trust rating to every single webpage in the world... why are apps treated different? The simple answer is because Google makes more money by refusing to verify apps unless they share 30% of their revenue - which is basically extortion. There's no way they're doing enough work to justify a fee that high.
Sure, charge whatever fee you want but allow third party stores to compete fairly. In that world if they want to continue charging as much as they are now, they need to offer a hell of a lot more than developers are getting right now for their money.
Not saying it's much better, but my phone came with the playstore and the "Galaxy store"... now there isn't a lot of useful stuff in the Galaxy store, but you can wager money against other players in games of solitaire, bingo and bubble pop... so there's that at least...
And? For anyone who actually wants another app store, that's not exactly a high bar of technical know-how. In fact, for the most part it's the way stuff works on other platforms as well (provided you even have the option of choosing on those).
If you want to install Steam on Windows you need to download it, click through, and run the installer.
Linux may have snap etc, but to add unofficial software channels you need to manually edit things.
Apple straight out says "nope" on iOS unless you jailbreak.
In xiaomi phones there is a xiaomi store, in Samsung phones there is a galaxy store, and here in Spain if you buy a phone through a ISP, you may get another app store from said ISP (I know Orange and Vodaphone do this, Vodaphone going as far as preinstalling shitty mobile games on their phones to get a commission)