Apple recently announced a major change that will allow other companies to launch app stores on iPhones, a move that was prompted by concerns from EU politicians about Apple’s market dominance. While this decision was initially seen as a victory for businesses and consumers in the EU, it has since been met with criticism due to Apple’s strict new rules and fees. Spotify has called these fees “extortion”, and other companies like Epic Games have also been pushing for the ability to launch alternative app stores on iPhones.
The EU lawmakers hoped that this rule change would encourage smaller challengers to enter the iPhone market, but Apple’s new regulations have made it difficult for these companies to operate. Colton Adamski, a former hacker and businessman, has been running an unofficial iPhone app store for over six years. While his store has attracted hundreds of thousands of downloads, it operates in a legal grey area. Outside of the EU, starting an app store is against Apple’s terms, and installing apps from sources other than the official App Store is prohibited.
Despite the challenges, Colton was excited about the opportunity to launch a legitimate app store in the EU when the new laws were announced. However, Apple’s terms and conditions have proven to be a significant hurdle. The tech giant requires new app stores to have €1 million in the bank, and they charge a Core Technology Fee for every download after one million. Colton likens these fees to a protection racket, where companies are forced to pay Apple to operate on their platform.
While Android phones have historically been more open, allowing for alternative app stores like Samsung Galaxy Store and Huawei AppGallery, Google’s own app shop – Google Play – charges a similar commission to Apple. EU lawmakers have not yet given an opinion on Apple’s alternative app store rules, but Colton remains determined to make his app store work. Despite the challenges, he believes that this is the future of iPhones and is committed to seeing his vision through.
