What you need to know

  • Apple claims the responsibility they take through the review process creates customer trust.
  • Apple outlines free, physical goods, and web apps from which they derive zero revenue.
  • Apple provides examples of App Store apps that successfully compete with built-in apps.

There has been an influx of allegations recently concerning Apple, the App Store, and whether it's a monopoly or otherwise anti-competitive. Everything from Spotify's victimy allegations to the EU, to the weird claim that Apple artificially inflates the prices of apps in a world where prices raced to the bottom years ago.

In response, Apple has published a new page on Principles and Practices of the App Store.

We created the App Store with two goals in mind: that it be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers.

It's filled with strong statements on Apple's policies and beliefs:

It's our store. And we take responsibility for it.

We review every app and every update.

We give developers a platform. And flexibility.

84% of apps are free, and developers pay nothing to Apple.

Apple also outlines where it doesn't — free apps, physical goods, web apps — and does — paid apps, in-app purchases, subscriptions — make money on the store.

A store that welcomes competition.

They also show popular apps that compete directly with Apple's own built-in apps.

We're always learning, and trying to make the App Store experience better for customers and developers by offering the best apps. And this commitment has never wavered.

It's a strong set of statements, which is nothing new for Apple. We'll just have to wait and see how successful it is at changing the narrative.

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