What new revenue streams will Apple seek if they are forced to open their platform?

Andrewcw said:

So if there's somehow a mass migration of platform developers that suddenly make all their apps free with IN-APP purchases using direct payments outside of the Apple eco system.

They'll quickly change the future Developer App agreements where you have to pay way more up front.

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The challenge for them will be if they get the same amount of downloads and traffic as they did on the App Store.

If some apps are available both on the App Store and some third-party store, what is the user's motivation for using the third-party store?

If they have the apps and the in-app purchases at a lower price, maybe it's worth creating an account on the alternate app store but the incentive would have to be pretty big.

I have bought maybe a handful of apps in over 10 years on the iPhone. That includes in-app purchases and I have not bought one single subscription.

App developers have migrated to the subscription model but there's still a lot of utility from free apps.

For instance I don't subscribe to 1 Password. I just sync between the app and my Mac through Wifi. It would be nice to have it sync by itself but not worth paying for that service.

And some of my most frequently-used apps are things like banking apps so they're completely free. If Chase and BofA offered their apps on some 3rd party app store as well as the Apple App Store, why would anyone bother to get them through the 3rd party app store?

But some apps which are on multiple app store will probably find that they get a lot more downloads from Apple than these other app stores.

Presumably companies like Spotify and maybe Netflix will only distribute through other App Stores. So people who really want to subscribe to those services will have to install and create an account on these other App Stores.


So how many of the top 10 or top 100 apps which require purchase of some kind to be useful will migrate to other app stores to reduce their commissions? That is where the test will be, how many migrate away from the App Store and offer lower prices to get their users to follow them.

Or they may decide to distribute across multiple app stores but find that they get way more downloads and sales through Apple than others and net more profits there.

I am loathe to create new accounts for every app or website.

So I have to really think if it offers me something that's worth registering for.

I don't know if my attitude is typical but people nowadays have dozens or hundreds of accounts. So maybe one more doesn't hurt or people are fed up.

If I'm right, there will have to be some enticements for people to try another app store. Just because MS builds an iOS app store doesn't mean they will come.

Will they offer something that they won't distribute through the App Store?

I don't know how many 365 subscriptions are paid through an iOS app. I would think most people who have Office or other MS software will go through Windows to subscribe and pay for their subscription?

The one thing I know of that they want but Apple has prevented is a cloud gaming app of some kind. Sounds pretty niche to me but it may make some number of users happy.