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Comment by ryanlol | Hacker News Reader

Should [insert retail business here] be in a position to destroy a business by removing a product from their shelves whenever they want?

Why is software special?

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If a retail store removes a product from their shelves, you still have alternatives - selling your product in other stores, providing mail order, and so on.

With Apple App Store, there is no alternative. Your iOS application cannot be distributed without Apple's approval.

That will be the legal argument in court: is Apple's iOS like a specifically grocery chain that controls 20% of stores, and customers can easily go to another? That will be Apple's position.

It seems clear that it's not, since I can easily bounce from store to store, and it's much more complicated (though by no means impossible) to switch mobile platforms.

The other position also seems extreme: defining the scope of the market as "iOS users" would result in forcing Apple to make room in their store for everyone and everything, as if it weren't possible to seek alternatives at all.

It's not an easy issue, but both starting positions seem extreme.

> With Apple App Store, there is no alternative

There is google play store, huawei app gallery, amazon app store and so on.

These are not alternatives.

Why not?

I was talking about iPhone users. They have no alternative to the apple app store.

But there are alternatives to iPhones.

Considering the fact that, you know, they built the damn thing, it's entirely up to them to decide what goes in and out.

Not if you care about fair competition, which is essential for free markets.

One retail stores doesn't have about 50% of market (I don't know the real numbers) like Apple does.

Also, the app you built was specifically for apple. You cannot sell it anywhere else.

> One retail stores doesn't have about 50% of market (I don't know the real numbers) like Apple does

iOS market share is less than 15%

> Also, the app you built was specifically for apple. You cannot sell it anywhere else.

Sounds like the app developer is taking a deliberate risk while doing so. Why do they need to be protected?

> iOS market share is less than 15%

iOS has 25% share worldwide. And in the USA, where most customers will be for most startups, it has 58% market share.

Walmart controls what goes on the shelves at Walmart.

If they take your product off the shelf, that’s entirely up to them.

If Walmart was your only market where you bothered to put your product on their shelves, then that’s your fault.

The difference here is that you can buy [insert product here] from a different retailer or directly from the business.

That’s only the case if the business chooses to only make [insert product here] available on iOS.

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