Here’s why Apple shouldn’t let developers have their own app stores

Apple’s App Store rules are at the center of several antitrust investigations at home and abroad. The European Union has already filed antitrust charges, finding Apple’s App Store behavior anti-competitive in a Spotify case. Separately, Epic Games has sued Apple in the US on similar grounds.

At the center of these antitrust probes and lawsuits are Apple’s rules for the App Store. Some developers do not appreciate the 30% fee that Apple charges for in-app purchases, especially if Apple also competes against that app or service. They also aren't fans of the fact that Apple doesn’t allow them to charge customers directly using an alternative payment method and that Apple doesn’t allow third-party app stores on iPhone and iPad.

These lawsuits and investigations could take years, and Apple risks hefty fines if it is found to have breached antitrust laws. More importantly, regulators might impose changes to the way App Store is operated. But regardless of what happens next, I’ll tell you right away, developer, that I do not want you to handle payments or stores on iPhone.