Imagine how untenable Apple’s position would be if the Play Store is proven to be a monopoly.
Comment on A Jury Will Decide If Google's App Store Is an Unjust Monopoly
TheRealKuni@lemmy.world 10 months ago
How could it be? Most Android manufacturers, including Google, allow you to use other app stores.
If anyone has an Unjust Monopoly in this space it’s Apple. (Though I think it’s unfortunately more complicated than that, as much as I’d love to see Apple forced to let other app stores on.)
avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
DeadlineX@lemm.ee 10 months ago
Apple has already gone through this. Apple won. It’s unlikely epic will beat Google either. When they likely lose, they will file an appeal just like they’ve done with Apple.
smileyhead@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
It’s a monopsony - a monopoly from the other side.
Google Play Store is not the single seller of apps to users but a single sensible buyer from developers. Of course with most apps being free of change, “buyer” and “seller” are loose terms to satisfy the definition.
Steve@communick.news 10 months ago
It’s both really.
As an app developer it’s a monopsony.
As an app user its a monopoly.
Schmeckinger@feddit.de 10 months ago
It wouldn’t hurt forcig them to allow other app stores to be listed in the app store.
RobotToaster@mander.xyz 10 months ago
Microsoft was considered a monopoly for including internet explorer with windows, despite the fact you could still install a 3rd party browser.
phx@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
They weren’t considered a monopoly for including IE, they were considered a monopoly for very much being the dominant OS and then were abusing said monopoly to block competing products or standards.
SRo@lemmy.sdf.org 10 months ago
That’s not true.
Teknikal@lemm.ee 10 months ago
I’ve noticed the play store try and stop me from installing the odd sideloaded or fdroid app. It seems to be getting more common the last few months.
I’m thinking they are going to pull a no sideloaded thing sometime just to get rid of adblockers etc
DeadlineX@lemm.ee 10 months ago
Epic already went to court for the same thing with Apple in 2021. Epic lost. They’ve filed an appeal already. Apple and Google both removed Fortnite from their respective stores within hours of each other.
It’s unlikely epic will win this battle, but if they don’t, they will likely file an appeal against Google as well.
Steve@communick.news 10 months ago
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 Play Store.
Brokkr@lemmy.world 10 months ago
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.
abhibeckert@lemmy.world 10 months ago
99% of of users never get over that hurdle, which makes it unreasonable.
And the apps are from “unverified sources” because Google deliberately refuses to verify them. They’re happy to verify every single company in the world with a website… but they won’t verify even the major third party app stores?
phx@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
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.
Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
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…
DasherPack@lemmy.world 10 months ago
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)