I’ll keep this post short because there’s really nothing more of substance I can add to this argument that many developers and pundits way smarter than myself haven’t already said.
But I suppose it’s flaring up again in the community because of the hey.com controversy, the recent developer survey Apple sent out (my less polite response from last year), and WWDC looming next week.
From my point of view this is all very simple:
The App Store opened eleven years, eleven months, and seven days ago. It is not a game. It is literally the livelihood of millions of people.
The 30% shakedown has never been justified other than “we can”.
The capricious and inconsistent review process has never been explained other than “no comment”.
With all the awfulness and urgency in the world right now; and with all the good Apple truly is doing, it feels like a waste of precious attention and resources to complain about the App Store. But, hey, that’s business.
Antitrust.
Now.