Rep. Kat Cammack has introduced the App Store Freedom Act, a bill that would require large app store operators like Apple to allow users to install third-party app stores and set them as their default. The bill aims to promote competition and protect consumers and developers in the mobile app marketplace.
The App Store Freedom Act targets companies with more than 100 million users in the US, forcing them to allow developers to use third-party payment systems. It also requires equal access to interfaces, features, and development tools without cost or discrimination. Additionally, the bill allows users to remove or hide pre-installed apps. Violations would result in penalties from the Federal Trade Commission, including a civil penalty of up to $1 million per violation.
According to Cammack, “Dominant app stores have controlled customer data and forced consumers to use the marketplaces’ own merchant services, instead of the native, in-app offerings provided by the applications and developers themselves.” This has resulted in higher prices and limited selections for consumers, as well as anti-competitive practices for developers that have stifled innovation.
Apple finally lets you leave its App Store
The bill is not an isolated incident, as the European Union has introduced similar legislation that has forced Apple to let users download third-party app stores and change their default apps. Last week, Apple started allowing developers to link to outside payments in response to a ruling in the Epic vs. Apple case. Google has also made changes after the EU’s regulations went into effect, including adding a new browser choice screen when users set up their device for the first time.
