4 ms·
While I also dislike the walled garden approach of the IOS App Store I feel I should point out that it's only a monopoly if you define a monopoly narrowly. E.G
by zaphar 15y ago
While I also dislike the walled garden approach of the IOS App Store I feel I should point out that it's only a monopoly if you define a monopoly narrowly. E.G it's only a monopoly on the iOS family of devices which is hardly a monopoly on installing apps on mobile devices. It may be a large chunk of the market but there are still competitors with a sizeable chunk themselves.
Walled Garden != Monopoly
- rmc 15y agoIt is a monopoly on installing software on iOS. Steam does not have a monopoly on installing software on Windows.
- niklas_a 15y agoBut iOS is only 18% of all mobile devices. Windows is 90% of all laptops/desktops. You are not comparing oranges with oranges.
- sid0 15y agoYou aren't locked into Steam for all game purchases.
- zaphar 15y agoYou also aren't locked into iOS for all mobile app purchases. My point is that this debate is usually really about whether you do or don't want to participate in a walled garden and less about whether you want to participate in a monopoly. Using the loaded term monopoly feels like an attempt to use emotional persuasion rather than debate on the merits. Which is a shame because I think the walled garden deserves some good criticism in a lot of ways.
- sid0 15y agoThe barrier to buying a game off Steam given that you own a PC/Mac is much lower than the barrier to buying an app off the App Store given that you own an iOS device (ignoring jailbreaking as usual). These sorts of barriers are characteristic of monopolies.
- Goronmon 15y agoI'm not sure how this proves that you don't have to use the App Store to install apps on iOS devices?