EU Vestager Wants Apple To Allow Alternate App Stores

The chief of the European antitrust commission, Margrethe Vestager, wants Apple to allow alternate app stores to enable proper competition on its platforms, reported Apple Insider.

The Epic versus Apple trial was not the end of scrutiny against Apple’s business practices on the iPhone. Vestager hopes to push Apple and other tech companies to open up with new regulations.

In an interview with Kara Swisher on the “Sway” podcast, Vestager spoke about her battles against big tech and what is coming next. Most prominently, she wants legislation that will force “gatekeepers” to allow more competition on the platforms they have created, one being Apple.

“What we have tabled now as proposed legislation is to say, well, if you buy these objective criteria, qualitative and quantitative, will be designated as a gatekeeper, then from the very first day these are the things that you cannot do,” Vestager said while describing the Digital Markets Act. “These are the things that you have to do. Have to do could be make room for a second app store. Have to do could be share data.”

Vestager believes a lot of Epic’s complaints could be solved by allowing a second App Store. Apps on Apple’s platform have to be in the Apple-controlled store, use Apple-controlled payments, and engage with customers following Apple-controlled rules.

Swisher noted that Apple’s arguments for the single App Store and maintaining control of it, are to maintain privacy and security. Specifically, Swisher proposed that since Apple created the market, it should be able to control it.
