The looming threat of opening Apple’s app ecosystem
AXIOS April 5, 2024
The U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust complaint against Apple could end up forcing the company to allow app downloads outside its official store.
Why it matters: An open app ecosystem could lead to more flexibility for developers, but also more malware-laced, malicious apps targeting iPhones.
Catch up quick: Last month, the DOJ and more than a dozen state attorneys general filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple accusing it of maintaining a monopoly in the smartphone market.
- Many of those claims focus on the App Store’s requirements and rules for developers.
- To participate in the App Store, developers split revenue with Apple, go through an extensive identity verification process, and abide by content and security requirements to operate in...