this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2024
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Don't get me wrong, I hope the EU ~slaps Apple on the wrist~ beats Apple up until they properly allow sideloading without the user having to go through more hoops than activating it with a warning and be done with it. Without any other consequences.
But I'd hate if Apple went bankrupt. Leaving only one major player in the mobile OS market? No thanks.
I cannot imagine a disaster large enough to bankrupt Apple at this point. They're one of the largest and most cash rich companies on the planet. They could probably start burning literal dollars to heat their offices and still take years to go bankrupt.
More competition in the mobile OS market would certainly be good, but I'm hesitant to even call Apple that. Their OS runs on exactly 2 devices (iPhone and iPad) from 1 manufacturer, it's not exactly an Apples (heh) to Apples comparison to Android. These days the only other option I'm aware of though is the various Linux phone projects, but all of those have some pretty serious usability problems so they're hardly a real competitor.
If Apple is fined for breaking these rules - the fine would be $80 billion. That would be two thirds of Apple's annual global net profits or $200 for every citizen in the EU.
It wouldn't bankrupt the company, but it would definitely hurt and they don't want to pay that.
It runs on the primary device for over a billion people. Which means supporting it, for app developers, isn't really optional at all assuming you want your app to be available to all users.
This isn't about users, it's about EU based businesses. If you run a hotel for example, you need to be on iOS with some kind of app (obviously it could be a web app).
You know what will happen? I do. Apple will leave Europe
Want side loading? Buy android. That’s your choice.