EU’s Digital Markets Act on Apple’s App Store

Why I disagree with the EU’s decision to force Apple to open the App Store

As an Apple user, I have always appreciated the convenience, security, and privacy that the App Store provides. I trust Apple to investigate apps before allowing them on the App Store, to ensure they follow Apple’s Privacy and Security guidelines. I also enjoy the seamless integration of Apple Pay with the App Store, which makes it easy and safe to purchase apps and in-app content.

However, the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) threatens to change all that. The DMA is a new law that aims to introduce competition and fairness for digital platforms, such as Apple, Google, and Amazon. The DMA requires these platforms to allow users to access third-party app stores and payment systems on their devices, among other things.

While I understand the intention behind the DMA, I disagree with its implementation and consequences. I believe that the DMA will harm the user experience, privacy, and security of Apple users in the EU, and potentially elsewhere. Here are some of the reasons why:

• The DMA will create a less intuitive and consistent user experience. Users will have to deal with multiple app stores, browsers, and payment systems on their devices, each with their own interfaces, policies, and features. This will make it harder to find, install, update, and manage apps, as well as to make purchases and subscriptions. Users will also have to navigate the complexities and risks of sideloading apps, which is the process of installing apps from sources other than the App Store.
• The DMA will compromise the privacy and security of users and developers. Users will be exposed to more tracking, fingerprinting, and malware from third-party app stores and payment systems, which may not follow the same standards and practices as Apple. Developers will also face more challenges and costs to protect their apps and users from fraud, piracy, and abuse. Apple’s new safeguards, such as Notarization, authorization, and disclosures, will help reduce some of these risks, but not eliminate them.
• The DMA will undermine Apple’s innovation and differentiation. Apple has invested a lot of resources and expertise to create the App Store, Safari, and Apple Pay, as well as the underlying technologies and frameworks that support them. These products and services are designed to work seamlessly with each other and with the iOS ecosystem, offering a unique value proposition to users and developers. The DMA will force Apple to open up these products and services to competitors, who may not have the same vision, quality, or standards as Apple. This will erode Apple’s competitive edge and incentive to innovate.

What is the Digital Markets Act?

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a new EU law that aims to make the markets in the digital sector fairer and more contestable by regulating the gatekeeper power of large digital platforms, such as Apple, Google, and Amazon. The DMA establishes a set of objective criteria to identify gatekeepers, and imposes a list of obligations and prohibitions on them to prevent them from abusing their market position and to ensure a level playing field for competitors and consumers. The DMA entered into force on November 2022 and became applicable on May 2023. Non-compliance with the DMA may result in fines of up to 10% of the worldwide turnover. The DMA is one of the first regulatory tools to comprehensively address the challenges posed by the digital economy, and it complements the existing EU competition rules.

As an Apple user, I think the EU’s decision to force Apple to open the App Store is a mistake. Am I wrong? How do you feel about this? Let me know in the comments below.

Aeron Nersoya

Abet News | February 1, 2024

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