Ok, so what, apple can still claim you have the same protection if you use just our app store. And I have the ability to use the alternative store where I can download a game without paying apple 30%. It's great.
Now, despite the fact that I bought an iOS device to avoid having to deal with shitty third parties, I'm forced to use the epic store and whatever else.
I'm not being forced to install Facebook, but I choose to install it on my device. When this changes happens, the choice isn't going to be "install Facebook from the App Store or the Meta Store", it's going to be "install Facebook from the Meta Store". That's not a choice to the user, it's a choice for meta.
A choice for the user is choosing to buy an iPhone with the knowledge that this is a limitation, and if I don't want that limitation, I can buy an android device.
We're 4 comments deep on a thread of people worried about Facebook being removed from the App Store. Reminding everyone that Meta is optional might be the most rational thing typed in response to this godforsaken article.
Installing Meta is optional, but somehow buying an iPhone isn't.
We've seen this change with uPlay, battle.net, epic launcher on PC. Users don't get "more choice", we live with the rules the developer sets out for us. I _want_ to be on a platform where the developer sets standards for payment handling, authentication options. I don't want to have to provide my payment deatils to Genshin's app store, but I do want to pay them.
Stop telling me that I will have a choice when I have already made a choice, and _you_ want something different.
Someone else can come and say "but i want to sideload meta and Y and Z, but still use an iphone!".
Sure, both are choices, and MAYBE mutually exclusive. I will then side with the one that is most free. In this case thankfully regulation seems to aswell
It'll only be available on their own store where they get 100% of profits and can use any kind of predatory crap to get kids to pay for the next fancy skin.
Epic is not forced to put fortnite on ios as it is now, they choose to, but arent forced.
You should absolutely be free to opt into a walled garden if you want to, but do not force others to go into the garden to play
I choose to live in the walled garden, and there is another option (android) for those who don't. You telling me the walls have to come down is you bringing your rules to the garden _I_ choose to be in.
perhaps your wish (of convenient limitations) just isnt the most popular?
I happen to largely agree that some of the walls apple puts up is for the best, but I would never presume to think I have the right to force that on others. Sure, keep their walled garden, if meta/epic/whatever does not want to play with that walled garden, well.. thats on them, and on their patrons to decide if they wish to patron
> thats on them, and on their patrons to decide if they wish to patron
This isn't giving the patrons a choice though, it's giving epic or meta a choice. The user has to accept whatever they do, and personally I trust apple to do that more than I do a random developer.