Facebook and Spotify bosses slam the App Store

Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook boss) and Daniel Ek (Spotify boss) have decided to attack the App Store and criticize Apple’s application store. They thus join Elon Musk (boss of Twitter), who criticized this week the commission that Apple takes with each transaction from the App Store.

Mark Zuckerger attacks the App Store

On the occasion of the DealBook Summit organized by the New York Times, Mark Zuckerberg said that only Apple tries to limit the apps present in the App Store and that the policies of the App Store are unsustainable. The executive claimed that Apple has “recognized as the only company that tries to unilaterally control the applications that are on a device”, which is not ” a good thing “ according to his words.

Conversely, Android allows users to install applications through other stores or other means, which is a good thing according to Mark Zuckerberg. “They’ve always made sure you can sideload, have other app stores, and work directly with phone makers”, said the boss of Facebook. He has clashed with Apple on several occasions over the App Store rules, particularly regarding the various purchases that can be made in the Facebook app. Apple demands a 30% commission on items, which Facebook does not want to pay.

Daniel Ek also criticizes

For his part, the boss of Spotify chose to share messages on Twitter, explaining that Apple gives developers “the illusion of having control”. He also thinks the App Store represents “a threat to the future of the Internet” knowing that users have no choice but to use it to install applications.

So how much longer will we look away from this threat to the future of the internet? How many more consumers will be denied choice? There’s been a lot of talk. Talk is helpful but we need action. @CommerceGov @EU_Commission @vestager

— Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) November 30, 2022

Here, Daniel Ek alludes to Spotify’s desire to offer audiobooks in its app, but Apple prevents it from having a button to send users back to its site and thus circumvent the 30% commission.