Epic Games, Spotify, and 11 other critics of Apple’s App Store governance have formed an “App Fairness Coalition” to end Apple’s monopoly. They demand to ensure equal rights for all developers of mobile programs and to reduce the tax of 30%, which they have to pay for placing their iOS-applications in the official store of Cupertino.
Thirteen companies have formed a coalition against Apple’s monopoly, according to The Washington Post. The alliance, called the App Justice Coalition, includes the creator of Fortnite Epic Games, the music streaming service Spotify, the owner of the Tinder Match Group, and other critics of the App Store’s iOS developer rules.
Although the participating companies have previously expressed their individual protest against the unfair policies of the App Store in one way or another, the “Coalition of Justice” is the first group of like-minded people who believe that the Cupertino company must heed their demands. The coalition says it is open to “companies of all sizes in all industries that are committed to protecting consumer choice, fostering competition and creating a level playing field for all app and game developers around the world.”
On its official website, the coalition has published three main problems with which it intends to fight.
These include a 30% tax on all transactions carried out within an application hosted in the App Store, the lack of alternative platforms for distributing iOS applications, and Apple’s use of its monopoly to promote its own services.
On its official website, the coalition has published principles that the participating companies hope Apple will follow voluntarily, or it will be forced to do so by regulators and legislators. They require developers to be able to choose which stores to host their iOS applications, not just the App Store. They also advocate that developers have access to technical information to the same extent as the owner of the platform, thereby equalizing their rights. In addition, they point out that the existing 30% commission, introduced back in 2011, is unfairly high and should be cut to ensure that all app creators can post on the App Store.
You could say that the companies have formed a coalition to take Apple discontent to a new, collective level. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to imagine a situation in which the Cupertinians will voluntarily make concessions and adapt their policies to the demands of the protesters.
