According to Epic and others, there's no alternative. Android isn't a viable alternative to iOS because most of the Android phones sold are junk.
Wrong. Android is not a viable alternative because its more of the same, rather than being different from Apple.
Google has a similar policy except they don't lock the door, they just let you figure out where to find the keys yourself (outside the play store) and they also straight up tell you 'you've now got a potentially compromised home'. Google style eh, you can happily click yourself to oblivion while Google follows you around, recording every step of the way and creating new business out of it
When you get too popular, you get bought up or your idea copied.
Apple just says 'Nope, you're not getting keys at all unless you pony up the money'.
Both companies only give you the actual keys if you pay up. These walled gardens are fine as long as they're insignificant, but apps are now, alongside the browser, the primary information source on a phone. They're vital and since mobile phones are considered vital as well for a vast majority of people, this is now too big to ignore and governments will be moving (and are moving as we speak) to kill this business model.
Sweeney understood this years ago and also saw that the principle applies, by precedent, to other digital distribution as well. These platform services are going to take a major hit because they all disturb the way markets should work. Developers are left hanging, customers are left hanging, all just to pay 30% fees to companies who just move around data. Its not right and it won't last.
Note the same stuff applies to.... Facebook and most other social media platforms, Uber, fast food order platforms, Amazon, etc etc etc. They're all keen on sharing, and very good at listening. They're also the root of most of society's current issues and kill entrepeneurship, unless you join them. Its a game of influence and control and we need to turn it around fast.
