Google and Apple as ‘Gatekeepers’ of the App World

Move over Yondu, the Commerce Department thinks Google and Apple are more qualified to be the new gatekeepers of the app world. In a massive report released by the department, Google and Apple have been tagged as holders of the key to the App Store!

The Investigation

In what was a 900-page investigation by the Department of Commerce, it has been concluded that these two tech giants are the sole holders of the key to the mobile app market. As the report explains, “These two companies, Apple and Google, have acted as gatekeepers in the market for mobile app distribution, dictating terms on which app developers gain access to consumers and extract value from app usage”.

What Does It Mean?

The investigation also states that this “gatekeeper” power includes the following areas:

• Terms of App Store Access: Google and Apple maintain control over access to their app stores, meaning developers must adhere to the terms set by the companies.
• Pricing Rules: Google and Apple also maintain control over the prices of apps in their stores, preventing app developers from setting prices for their products.
• App Promotion: The two tech giants also have control over how apps are promoted in their app stores, as well as how much promotion an app receives.

The Reactions

The report has naturally sparked mixed reactions from both tech titans. Google, in particular, denied the report’s conclusions, commenting that the investigation was “overly broad and unsupported by evidence”. Apple, on the other hand, said that they are open to discussing ways to make the App Store a better and fairer place for app developers.

Well, as they say, power comes with responsibility and these two tech giants now have the responsibility of dictating the access, prices, and promotion of apps in their stores. It’s going to be an interesting journey for the app developers, that’s for sure. But hopefully the two tech giants will be considerate gatekeepers and allow app developers to make use of the incredibly powerful tools they have at their disposal.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section!