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A simple solution for Antitrust authorities would be to allow users to download apps from outside the app store like on Android phones.

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Do people do that on Android in the countries where Apple has more than a 1/3 share? I’m not sure of the exact countries, but there’s likely only a handful.

Other issues arise based on the app too. Like Hey’s app fight. I’d think any area with a culture to side load apps wouldn’t be a place that would get too many people [able to be] paying $100/yr service.

F-Droid is a thing. Amazon had its own app store for Fire devices. Gamers sideloaded Fortnite onto their Android devices.

It's not super common, but it happens.

While we're at it, there should be an officially supported API for app stores so you don't have to root your phone and install privilege extensions just to get the same convenience with F-Droid as with the Play Store.

Android phones sold in China don't have access to the Google Play Store so every phone manufacturer has their own store. Some apps (like Feiliao, ByteDance alternative to wechat) are distributed as .apk directly from the app website.

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