French minister takes Apple to task over yanking AppGratis from App Store
In an interview on Thursday, France's digital industry minister Fleur Pellerin had some tough words for Apple over the company's takedown of app discovery service AppGratis, saying the move was "brutal" and put the startup in danger.
As noted by CNET, Pellerin now plans to ask the EU to examine the takedown, while requesting European regulators crack down on digital platforms like search engines and social media outlets. She said the recent decision justifies closer inspection of how influential tech companies "impose" their rules and regulations on others.
"I recall that the French are the world's second largest developers of software applications behind the United States for mobile devices," Pellerin told LeMonde Informatique. "What is the sense of investing if, overnight, the economic model is jeopardized by a unilateral decision...There is an issue of fairness in commercial relations..."
French Minister Delegate for Small and Medium Enterprises, Innovation, and the Digital Economy, Fleur Pellerin. | Source: Global Post
Before being pulled from the App Store earlier this week, France-based App Gratis served up notable iOS titles to more than 10 million users. The company's blog noted the service drove one million app installs per day for its app partners.
In banning AppGratis, Apple cited a newly implemented rule that denied services from promote other apps in a manner similar to the App Store. The Cupertino company also said the app broke another mandate against using push notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing.
A day after AppGratis was deprecated from the App Store, company CEO Simon Dawlat aired his frustration in a blog post, claiming that reviewers had not only approved the most recent app update, but also let pass an iPad version, which was given the OK just one week prior.
The AppGratis fuss is just the beginning, according to AllThingsD's John Paczkowski, who heard from people familiar with the matter that "Apple feels these apps threaten the legitimacy of the App Store charts by providing a way for developers to spend their way to a high ranking." This thinking, which holds that such apps "undermine the integrity" of the App Store by offering what are effectively alternative storefronts, could lead to broader restrictions in the near future.
As noted by CNET, Pellerin now plans to ask the EU to examine the takedown, while requesting European regulators crack down on digital platforms like search engines and social media outlets. She said the recent decision justifies closer inspection of how influential tech companies "impose" their rules and regulations on others.
"I recall that the French are the world's second largest developers of software applications behind the United States for mobile devices," Pellerin told LeMonde Informatique. "What is the sense of investing if, overnight, the economic model is jeopardized by a unilateral decision...There is an issue of fairness in commercial relations..."
French Minister Delegate for Small and Medium Enterprises, Innovation, and the Digital Economy, Fleur Pellerin. | Source: Global Post
Before being pulled from the App Store earlier this week, France-based App Gratis served up notable iOS titles to more than 10 million users. The company's blog noted the service drove one million app installs per day for its app partners.
In banning AppGratis, Apple cited a newly implemented rule that denied services from promote other apps in a manner similar to the App Store. The Cupertino company also said the app broke another mandate against using push notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing.
A day after AppGratis was deprecated from the App Store, company CEO Simon Dawlat aired his frustration in a blog post, claiming that reviewers had not only approved the most recent app update, but also let pass an iPad version, which was given the OK just one week prior.
The AppGratis fuss is just the beginning, according to AllThingsD's John Paczkowski, who heard from people familiar with the matter that "Apple feels these apps threaten the legitimacy of the App Store charts by providing a way for developers to spend their way to a high ranking." This thinking, which holds that such apps "undermine the integrity" of the App Store by offering what are effectively alternative storefronts, could lead to broader restrictions in the near future.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
She said the recent decision justifies closer inspection of how influential tech companies "impose" their rules and regulations on others.
+1 for the irony.
So don't buy Apple products, France. Would you give a frick if the app in question wasn't based in France?
If little faults proceeding on distemper
Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our eye
When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and digested,
Appear before us?
-Henry V
Reserve such language for cases where extreme brutality are in evidence.
Better make sure that you invest in companies that play by the rules in order for the model to succeed.
Commercial Fairness ? huh, the French have a long and proud tradition in commercial fairness ?
When did that happen ?
Apple ultimately can run its AppStore they way it likes as a private contracted construct, as we all have the freedom as consumers and vendors to take our products and money to other platforms. There is no reason that services like AppGratis could not become a web app instead!
France is socialist out of control -- big government run amok. Everyone seems to think gov't needs to do more - when they really need to do LESS... The free market works, if the bureaucrats would let it and stop interfering in every little thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MJ1970
+1 for the irony.
Haha, yes. Someone from the government complaining about the imposition of rules and regulations, classic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
Haha, yes. Someone from the government complaining about the imposition of rules and regulations, classic.
More specific, the French government complaining about someone imposing rules and regulations. Ironic indeed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by libertyforall
Apple ultimately can run its AppStore they way it likes as a private contracted construct, as we all have the freedom as consumers and vendors to take our products and money to other platforms.
I think it's interesting that many people want everyone else, from the government down to the cable and wireless companies, to practice net neutrality... but then allow the final step in the chain, a device maker, full control over what kind of apps can or cannot be downloaded.
If Apple can do it, shouldn't Verizon or AT&T be allowed to censor apps as well? After all, you can just take your money elsewhere. Unless everyone is censoring.
If this French politician wants to run Apple, I suggest she apply to the board and ask to be CEO. Her qualifications will be given due consideration.
You have a choice of device makers to choose from. If you don't like their policies buy someone else's device. The same can not be said for the vast majority of this country when it comes to ISPs.
Buying an Apple product is a choice. In many areas of the country, you have no choice for ISP. I only have access to Comcast for high speed Internet.
Honestly this is much ado about nothing, except App Gratis looking for attention. Seems to me the EU has more important things to worry about than this.
Ce que vous pensez, madame, ne m'interesse pas.
She's hot!
[SIZE=0](Yes, I am just being silly)[/SIZE]
It doesn't give her opinion any greater validity. This is part of the "Apple is big and evil" narrative that's in vogue these days.
Typical American response to anything French people say. Also, irrelevant.