Microsoft President Brad Smith has harshly criticized the restrictions on Apple’s App Store. During an event that took place on Tuesday, the executive said that the platform usually takes advantage of those who intend to distribute programs on iPads and iPhones.
Smith criticized the fact that the company creates barriers that hinder competition within the ecosystem and demand prohibitive usage fees for developers. “In some cases, they created high prices for tools, up to 30% of their income has to go to the owner of the platform”, commented the executive.
“They impose requirements pointing to only one way to access the platform, which is to go through the barriers that they have created,” said the Microsoft president.
Regulation and investigations
The statements by the executive of the owner of Windows come shortly after regulators in the United States and Europe intensified investigations against Apple stores. According to Smith, it is necessary to create policies to avoid anti-competitive practices in app stores.
“The time has come for a conversation focused on the nature of app stores,” commented the executive. “The rules that are imposed, the prices and tools that are available and whether there is a justification in the antitrust laws for everything that has already been created.”
Apple has not officially commented on the Microsoft executive’s statements, but a company spokesman has already spoken about the antitrust investigations. According to the company, the movement represents a group of companies that are looking for a “free ride and don’t want to play by the same rules as everyone else.”
In addition to charging up to 30% fee on transactions, a measure that irritates companies like Spotify and Microsoft, the App Store also has strict rules for entering applications. Apple recently rejected the launch of Facebook Gaming on iOS for the fifth time.
