Apple defends its controlled ecosystem in the face of antitrust investigation

Apple has responded to complaints about its App Store ecosystem, emphasising that its rules and policies are in line with those of other digital marketplaces.
The iPhone maker commissioned a study by the Analysis Group to compare its platform not only with rival app stores, but also with leading online marketplaces that sell physical products and even bricks-and-mortar retail chains.
The report follows the European Commission's announcement that it has opened an antitrust investigation into the App Store's rules.
Chief concerns include that developers can only use Apple's store to handle downloads, sales, subscriptions and in-app purchases, that they are restricted from promoting alternative payment options that operate outside the App Store, and the 30% share Apple takes of all sales, in-app purchases and subscriptions.
The Analysis Group's report focuses primarily on the latter, and is even entitled 'Apple's App Store and Other Digital Marketplaces: A Comparison of Commission Rates.'
However, in a section entitled 'Digital marketplaces need rules and governance to thrive,' the Group asserted that the restrictions Apple imposes on developers are not only common, but essential.
"Because trust and integrity are central to making buyers and sellers comfortable trading on the platform, digital marketplaces often employ common rules and enforcement strategies to foster such an environment," the report reads.

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