The US House of Representatives also introduces a bill against app store monopolies
Two members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a bill to tackle the dominance of Apple and Google in their app stores. It is an addition to the same bill that was introduced in the Senate this week.
The bill was introduced by a Democratic and a Republican member of the House of Representatives on Friday, the news agency also writes. Reuters. It follows the same bill from three US senators who want to limit the dominant positions of tech companies such as Apple and Google in their respective app stores. That bill was introduced in the Senate on Wednesday.
Among other things, the politicians want to prevent tech companies from forcing developers to use their payment systems. The US politicians also want to require companies that make an operating system to allow users to install third-party app stores.
According to the politicians, if this Open App Markets Act is passed, it should, among other things, become easier for developers to introduce their own payment systems in their apps. It should also offer third-party app stores more space on mobile platforms. Android already supports such app stores, but Apple does not yet allow that on iOS and iPadOS.
“For far too long, companies like Google and Apple have had a stranglehold on app developers, who have been forced to accept the conditions these monopolists impose to reach their customers.” That reports Republican Ken Buck on Twitterwho introduced the proposal along with Democrat Hank Johnson on Friday.
The app store policy of major tech companies such as Apple and Google has been under fire for some time, for example by Epic Games. That company is currently embroiled in lawsuits against Apple and Google. Those two companies removed Fortnite from their respective app stores last year after Epic Games incorporated its own payment system into that game to avoid commissions from Apple and Google. The first hearings in the lawsuit against Apple were held in May and a ruling in that case is expected later this year.