… Thanks to recent events surrounding Google and Apple.
Not playing fairly: Google is handing over $700M and overhauling its policies to settle an antitrust lawsuit over its Play Store. Ouch.
The lawsuit claims Google used anti-competitive deals to limit other app stores on Android, essentially forcing users to use the Play Store.
It’s safe to say things backfired, because the platform now has to allow sideloading and third-party stores for at least seven years.
Meanwhile… to comply with the EU’s Digital Market’s Act (DMA), Apple will be required to loosen control over software on its devices.
So, it looks like third-app stores are also coming to iOS too. However, Apple is likely to maintain a level of control.
And remember, external apps will probably need explicit user consent to protect privacy.
A big win for third-party app store owners… and probably the foundation for future marketing channels, too.
