Epic Games-led Coalition for App Fairness polls claim public want open App Store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2022
The Coalition for App Fairness with Epic Games at its head has commissioned a pair of polls showing that the majority of respondents want App Store competition and antitrust legislation.

Coalition for App Fairness
Coalition for App Fairness


Founded in 2020 by Epic Games, Spotify, and others, the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) is a lobbying group created specifically to advocate against Apple's App Store policies. It has been calling for Apple to allow third-party app stores, alternative payment systems, and less restrictive terms.

On Thursday, CAF released new research claiming that 79% of voters support the Open App Markets Act, which would force Apple and others to allow third-party payment systems and place additional restrictions aimed at increasing competition.

"Recent research conducted by OnMessage Public Strategies and Lake Research Partners found likely voters in both parties back legislation to address the anticompetitive practices of app store gatekeepers," CAF wrote in the paper.

Per the research, 68% of respondents think that Big Tech has too much power and 79% support legislative efforts to open up the mobile app ecosystem. CAF says the survey shows that there is "clear, overwhelming, and bipartisan support" for lawmakers to pass antitrust legislation.

When asked about how much power Apple wields, 59% of respondents said it was too much, while 28% said it was the right amount.

Some of the questions in the polls appear to be leading, with one directly telling participants that "Apple and Google have monopoly control over what apps are allowed in their app stores and how consumers are able to download the apps."

Epic Games is well-known for its vocal criticism of Apple's App Store policies. Back in 2020, the company baited Apple into removing "Fortnite" from the App Store by sneaking an alternate payment system into the popular game in violation of Apple's guidelines.

After "Fortnite" was removed, the game studio immediately launched a premeditated lawsuit and PR campaign against Apple. After a lengthy trial in 2021, a U.S. District Court judge ruled largely in favor of Apple, stating that the company was not a monopoly.

Despite the favorable ruling, Apple and other tech giants are still facing increasing antitrust scrutiny in both the U.S. and abroad. Apple, for its part, argues that current antitrust legislation would weaken the privacy and security of its iOS platform.

The surveys, which asked questions to 1,600 likely voters, were conducted over telephone between June 6 and June 10, 2022.

Read on AppleInsider
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    hammeroftruthhammeroftruth Posts: 1,303member
    Over the phone polls? For Fortnite? 
    So they called all of their minor aged customer’s grandparents?
    darelrexrob53retrogustomike1diz_geekBeatsJaiOh81edreddocbburkbaconstang
  • Reply 2 of 24
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    They didn't ask me. Doesn't surprise me because I don't answer phone calls from people I don't know and These companies won't leave messages.

    My survey answers:

    I don't support the open app markets act (haven't read it but I have a pretty good idea what it's about).

    Big Tech having too much power is the same as big oil having too much power along with auto dealerships having monopolies covered by unconstitutional laws, and a hole list of other groups.

    I don't support legislative efforts, especially since most legislatures are bought/bribed by corporations, to open mobile app ecosystems mainly because many/most corporations do the same thing. I also don't see it as being antitrust activities.

    I have bought Apple products since the late '80s, early '90s (Performa 400 first home computer, bought millions of dollars worth of Apple products for work) and don't see Apple as having too much power, especially when compared to other tech companies. 

    Apple doesn't have monopoly power over the apps included in THEIR store and I absolutely feel they have every right to determine how apps are downloaded to equipment they manufacture, sell and support. 

    As for Epic, I see that company as a predator, attempting to highjack Apple's products for their own benefit. It has nothing to do with benefiting customers only its bottom line.

    --In response to @Hammeroftruth, I agree about phone calls. I'm not a kid (far from it) but I don't get much information from my phone, I get it on-line, which is where polls should be held. Of course, this also means poll takers need to be honest about accepting input from various platforms and not allowing bots to screw up the poll. I refuse to use my name on any on-line poll because I absolutely know it will be sold to some jerk company like google.
    edited June 2022 darelrexfotoformatdiz_geekBeatsdocbburkwilliamlondonlolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 24
    darelrexdarelrex Posts: 134member
    Even if they fairly surveyed random members of the general public, that would include at least 50% Android users, many of whom would be overjoyed to see Apple products ruined, and all of Apple's customers forced to become Android users/developers. So what? Since when should a company's products' features be up for public vote? One of the great qualities of the modern economy is that people who like a particular product can buy it, and people who don't can go buy something else.

    Hey, here's a fine idea: Let's put Epic Games up for public vote, and see what should be done with it. What rules should it have, how should it be managed, etc. And what does the voting public think of Tim Sweeney's $10 billion dollar personal fortune? Should it all go to Tim Sweeney, or should it be distributed equitably to the poorest 10% of the population? The public knows best — let them vote!
    edited June 2022 diz_geekjdgazaderutterBeatsrob53edreddocbburkretrogustouraharalolliver
  • Reply 4 of 24
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    Sneaky way of saying you want to steal another company’s IP.
    rob53docbburklolliverdanoxwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 24
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    darelrex said:
    Even if they fairly surveyed random members of the general public, that would include at least 50% Android users, many of whom would be overjoyed to see Apple products ruined, and all of Apple's customers forced to become Android users/developers. So what? Since when should a company's products' features be up for public vote? One of the great qualities of the modern economy is that people who like a particular product can buy it, and people who don't can go buy something else.

    Hey, here's a fine idea: Let's put Epic Games up for public vote, and see what should be done with it. What rules should it have, how should it be managed, etc. And what does the voting public think of Tim Sweeney's $10 billion dollar personal fortune? Should it all go to Tim Sweeney, or should it be distributed equitably to the poorest 10% of the population? The public knows best — let them vote!
    I wish governments around the world agree with your statement but they don't and that's the problem. I agree 100% with your statement but it's rare when the public actually has any input into anything other than by using their wallet to buy what they want and NOT buy what they don't want. We VOTE with our wallets. This is the only real way to stop certain businesses from acting against our choice of products.
    Beatswatto_cobradarelrex
  • Reply 6 of 24
    jayweissjayweiss Posts: 68member
    The survey should have been of Apple iPhone and Apple iOS product users. If they did that then they would find that 95% of the respondents would be in favor of keeping the App Store as it is. 

    It is only selfish and greedy people like Tim Sweeney who clearly don’t actually care about their users. If he did he would have put Fortnite’s users on Apple platforms ahead of his own self interests. Epic should have put Fortnite back in the Apple App stores instead of abandoning the 7% of his users who used those platforms. 

    Sweeney is only interested in expanding his power and control. The policies in the Epic store are far worse than anything Apple has done. 

    williamlondonBeatsbaconstangwatto_cobradarelrex
  • Reply 7 of 24
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 533member
    A poll bought and paid for by Epic supports Epic's position?

    Shocking!
    williamlondonBeatsbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 24
    retrogustoretrogusto Posts: 1,109member
    If they want to convince us, Epic should focus their efforts on trying to explain why their preferences would broadly and unequivocally benefit the average user, including an in-depth exploration of potential unintended consequences. But I suspect that it wouldn’t paint such a favorable picture for them. 
    williamlondoncommand_fwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 24
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    Laws and contracts are not bound by popularity surveys by two-bit companies. Good thing, too.
    Beatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 24
    NO. WE DONT!

    We want ease of use, security and the amazing support apple gives when we have a problem.

    Jump out of a bridge and take Fortnite with you!
    williamlondondavidlewis54Beatsbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 24
    cambercamber Posts: 20member
    I agree with the previous comments. Absolutely No! Any informed pollster knows you can create the results you want just by the way you phrase the questions. I notice that the questions were not posted. Therefore I must conclude the results are totally biased.
    baconstangcommand_fwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 24
    At a simpler level, why should Apple open up access to its, no doubt, extremely expensive and secure systems? These are systems for which the buying public expects to have at no direct cost (you buy a device and pay for an app, with all that infrastructure in place). Why on earth should Apple give free reign to anyone to circumvent all that? It is because Apple has a chunk of money which it has rightly earned, and others feel aggrieved because they have less. I certainly would not want Apple to open up to all comers.  One of my reasons for using Apple products is the knowledge that my personal information is secure.  Other companies are nowhere near as good.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 24
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    Question 1: Do you want a more open AppleStore or do you want to burn down orphanages. 
    Question 2: …
    edited June 2022 BeatsStrangeDaysmuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 24
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    jayweiss said:
    The survey should have been of Apple iPhone and Apple iOS product users. If they did that then they would find that 95% of the respondents would be in favor of keeping the App Store as it is. 

    It is only selfish and greedy people like Tim Sweeney who clearly don’t actually care about their users. If he did he would have put Fortnite’s users on Apple platforms ahead of his own self interests. Epic should have put Fortnite back in the Apple App stores instead of abandoning the 7% of his users who used those platforms. 

    Sweeney is only interested in expanding his power and control. The policies in the Epic store are far worse than anything Apple has done. 


    Pretty sure the survey convinced people. Something like Tim Sweeney calling your grandmas and saying:

    ”would you like cheaper apps?”

    -yesh

    ”we would need the App Store to be open and free for all for cheaper apps. Would you like an open App Store?”

    -yesh

    Tally:
    Apple II
    Epic IIII
    command_fwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 24
    uraharaurahara Posts: 733member
    Correcting the typo from:
    >> On Thursday, CAF released new research claiming that 79% of voters support the Open App Markets Act
    To:
    On Thursday, CAF released new research claiming that 79% of our supporters support the Open App Markets Act
    baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 24
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    Some of the questions in the polls appear to be leading”.

     Say it isn’t so. I’m finding that very hard to believe. 

    CPF:
    Coalition for Polling Fairness. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 24
    uraharaurahara Posts: 733member
    rob53 said:
    darelrex said:
    Even if they fairly surveyed random members of the general public, that would include at least 50% Android users, many of whom would be overjoyed to see Apple products ruined, and all of Apple's customers forced to become Android users/developers. So what? Since when should a company's products' features be up for public vote? One of the great qualities of the modern economy is that people who like a particular product can buy it, and people who don't can go buy something else.

    Hey, here's a fine idea: Let's put Epic Games up for public vote, and see what should be done with it. What rules should it have, how should it be managed, etc. And what does the voting public think of Tim Sweeney's $10 billion dollar personal fortune? Should it all go to Tim Sweeney, or should it be distributed equitably to the poorest 10% of the population? The public knows best — let them vote!
    I wish governments around the world agree with your statement but they don't and that's the problem. I agree 100% with your statement but it's rare when the public actually has any input into anything other than by using their wallet to buy what they want and NOT buy what they don't want. We VOTE with our wallets. This is the only real way to stop certain businesses from acting against our choice of products.
    It seems to be a problem, since so many have voted with the wallet for Android. And the majority knows what is best for the minority /s
    command_fwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 24
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    I bet it wasn’t skewed at all. /s

    how many dead people took the poll?
    edited June 2022 watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 24
    baconstangbaconstang Posts: 1,103member
    When they say "public", they mean gamers.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 24
    davidwdavidw Posts: 2,036member
    >Some of the questions in the polls appear to be leading, with one directly telling participants that "Apple and Google have monopoly control over what apps are allowed in their app stores and how consumers are able to download the apps."<


    Didn't Sweeney lawyers tell him? He lost the point in his case against Apple, where he claimed Apple have a "monopoly" with their Apple App Store. The Federal Judge ruled that Apple is not a monopoly and that the Apple App Store can not be a monopoly as defined by current anti-trust laws, because it is not a stand alone separate product that Apple offers to consumers. The only way for consumers to use the Apple App Store is to first buy or use an Apple device and none of Apple devices are monopolies in their relevant markets. Thus, the Apple App Store exist in a market that only consist of Apple brand. And a market like that can not be used to determine a "monopoly". One can't have "monopoly control", without first being a monopoly (as defined by anti-trust laws.).

    So Sweeney must also think that ....... Walmart also have "monopoly control" over what products are allowed in their stores. McDonalds have "monopoly control" on what they allow on their menu. BMW have "monopoly control" on what autos are allowed to be sold from their BMW dealers showrooms. Disney have "monopoly control" on what concession stands are allowed in Disneyland.

     Plus, I would have never thought that "Fortnite" players are old enough to vote, let alone .... "likely voters".
    edited June 2022 watto_cobra
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