Mark Gurman on Apple’s EU plans, although it’s not clear whether this is his speculation or actual plans:
Apple will need to split the profit-generating App Store in two: a version for the EU and a version for everywhere else. Those living in the EU will get to install apps from outside the store, use outside payment processors to pay for services and get better integration between first- and third-party apps and features.
Maybe time to relocate Micro.blog HQ to Europe.
@manton I wonder what indie developers think about the split (if that's what's going to happen). They can avoid the Apple Tax and even the App Store entirely for their EU customers. However, if they want to sell to people outside the EU, they'll need to maintain a separate version of the app that uses Apple's payment system, follows their guidelines, and so on.
This additional work might eat away at the extra profit. The only clear winners are developers who exclusively serve EU customers and have no interest in other markets.
@sod I might consider a separate version of the app just for EU customers if Apple is not going to come after us for 27% of our revenue outside the store. I think that is legally shaky ground but apparently they are going to insist on it somehow.
@manton It's always strange to see the extent to which Europe is distancing itself from the United States in its relationship with the market economy, seeking to legislate to protect the basic rights of ordinary citizens from large industrial groups. Seen from France by a modest Frenchman, this sometimes makes sense, and sometimes even seems too timid. However, I can't say to what extent politics should intervene and regulate companies whose resources sometimes far exceed those of entire countries. At the same time, isn't there a risk of doing harm by slowing down powerful engines of production and development? Unfortunately, I'm not qualified to answer all these questions, although it's worth asking them.
@terence It's a good question. For the App Store, it has been 15 years, so there has been plenty of time to let companies innovate (and profit) before regulation. For something like AI, it's so new maybe we need some freedom to experiment.
