For years, developers and other companies have complained about the 30% cut that companies, namely Apple, take from the sale of apps and in-app purchases. However, it seems that it is the trial with Epic that the issue was thrust into the spotlight once again, except that this time it has spurred lawmakers to take action.The US House of Representatives have recently introduced a new antitrust act called the Ending Platform Monopolies Act, and one of those measures could have the potential to affect Apple in a massive way that could ultimately result in Apple being forced to sell off their App Store to a third-party not owned by them.
This is according to a draft of the proposal seen by the Wall Street Journal which reads, “It shall be unlawful for a covered platform operator to own or control a line of business, other than the covered platform, when the covered platform’s ownership or control of that line of business gives rise to an irreconcilable conflict of interest.”
However, do take note that while the act has been introduced, it has yet to be passed. There are still several steps needed before it can be passed into law which means that this isn’t a done deal yet. Even if it were to be passed, we imagine that Apple would fight tooth and nail to try and get it revoked or bypass it. It’s not an immediate concern but it’s definitely something to keep an eye out for.
Filed in . Read more about Apps, iOS and Legal. Source: 9to5mac