US approves antitrust law allowing third-party app stores and payment processors on iPhone

Today, the US Senate Judiciary Committee approved another antitrust law on open marketplaces for applications, which, first of all, will negatively affect Apple's policies and revenues.

What does it all mean?

The main essence of the bill is to allow the use of alternative app stores and payment systems. This should rein in the app stores of companies that politicians say have too much control over the market, namely Apple and Google.

Simply put, the bill implies that after adoption on Apple smartphones and tablets, it will be possible to download an application from any store, not just the App Store, and developers will be able to use their own payment systems and not pay a 30% commission on all digital purchases. True, while this is not a final decision and can still change, the bill will be sent to the Senate for a vote.

However, Apple has already called on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to reject the bill, arguing that uploading unofficial content would create privacy and security risks for customers.

“This will allow attackers to bypass Apple's privacy and security measures by distributing apps without critical privacy and security checks. These provisions will allow malware, fraud, and data theft to spread,” Apple Chief Executive Tim Powderly said in a letter to the Committee earlier this week.

Google also criticized the bill.

“We have made our concerns clear to Congress. This bill could destroy many of the consumer benefits that modern payment systems provide and distort competition by excluding gaming platforms, which is tantamount to an attempt by Congress to artificially choose winners and losers in a highly competitive market,” Mark Isakowitz, in a statement, said. Vice President Google for Public Policy.

Incidentally, Google has already reduced the fees it charges apps for using its payment system, although this will reduce the company's revenue.

A source: Reuters