Who Will Win the App Store Battle?
Spotify, Fortnite creator Epic Games and Tinder owner Match Group have formed a partnership to battle Apple and other app store operators over app store rules. The group has launched a non-profit called the Coalition for App Fairness to organize their efforts.
The companies are accusing Apple and other operators of taking excessive commission on app purchases and eliminating competition by promoting their own products and services. Epic Games has previously sued Apple and Google for taking Fortnite off each of their respective stores. Apple responded with a countersuit, and that legal battle is currently playing out in the federal court system.
One of the new coalition’s main goals is to rally public opinion to its side of the disagreement. A consistent theme throughout Washington recently has been a desire from both sides to regulate big tech. This battle may prove to be another small roadblock that the tech giants are able to blow over, but at the same time this could be another piece of straw added to a very heavy load of challenges facing the tech giants. Time will tell if they are due for stricter regulations, or if they will continue to operate in their current state.
I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.