Google is currently being sued for anti-competitive practices with Google Play. Among others these are warnings when trying to install apps outside of Google Play or Google not allowing developers to mention they accept money in any way except Google’s payment system.
Have you ever dealt with a situation that felt like Google was unfairly exerting control over your apps, or know someone whose apps have been in this situation?
Until I learned the VAT on Fairphone 4 is around 18% of cost before VAT, I would have agreed 30% fee for play store sales was high. At least Google actually does something for their fee. Does Apple only charge 3%?
Doesn’t Apple do more to prevent users from installing apps not from the apple store? Maybe that’s OK because they don’t have “monopoly”.
Astounding how much is redacted from the complaint. Can someone write something to fill in the shorter blanks at least. Guessing contents of redacted figures is probably beyond hope.
What are the chances of users getting a reasonable settlement, say $10,000 for each time a user was misled by warnings when “sideloading” apps?
Edit+:
Google has not allowed Android to be “open source” for many years, effectively cutting off potential competition. Google forces OEMs that whish to sell devices that run Android to enter into agreements called “Android Compatibility Commitments” or ACCs.
I think the fact that Google just voluntarily cut their fee in half shows just how much money they must be making. It makes the 3% estimate look pretty reasonable. There was stuff that came out from the Google/Oracle Java case that showed that Google has a 50% profit margin on Android. Normally 10% is considered good. So it is pretty clear there isn’t real competition in the mobile app marketplace.