Coalition for App Fairness (app stores)

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I do appreciate that in the Apple ecosystem, "I'm not the product". There is a level of trust with their products and services that I do feel thankful for and will continue to pay for it. I do not want a different app store. I do not want to have apps direct access to the fundamental iOS services.

Don't get me wrong, I really like a lot of the companies that have formed this coalition but I don't think their ask is right. I cannot honestly read about the impact to democracy, primarily because we are unable to define and protect what is private data and what is public, and then agree to what is being asked for by this coalition of partners. However they promise to safeguard the data, I don't think they have a sound business model / sound business principles / a long enough pedigree of protecting user data for me to trust them. I also see what all of this is about - just a redistribution of the pot of money. This is not about anti-competitiveness, this is not about an Apple Tax hurting consumers (https://www.theverge.com/21445923/platform-fees-apps-games-b...)

I honestly hope that if Apple does lose the anti-trust case, that they split the iPhone into one that allows these non-Apple stores and services and another that offers a Apple managed ecosystem.

I for sure will chose the one that is governed by Apple.

I find it illuminating that this website tries to load at least 7 trackers, including from Facebook and Google, and that scrolling is broken when they are blocked.

No current app store effectively blocks any of this, but I certainly imagine their envisioned free-for-all involves even more invasive trackers, to which I say "no thanks."

I hope Apple quadruples down on their privacy stance and starts blocking this BS that's built into apps.