Microsoft Wants Antitrust Authorities To Probe Into App Store Business Practices

Microsoft’s President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said it’s time for US and European antitrust authorities to discuss tactics that app stores use to help those who want to sell their software. Smith will probably not mean Microsoft’s store, but also Apple’s, although he did not mention the manufacturer of the iPhone in his statements. The European anti-trust authorities opened an investigation against Apple on Tuesday. They said developers could be unjustly forced to provide the company with part of the revenue from the App Store.

Some app stores create a far higher barrier to fair competition and access than Microsoft’s Windows was found guilty of antitrust violations 20 years ago, Smith said at a Politico event Thursday.

 “They are making demands that increasingly state that there is only one way to get to our platform, through the gate that we created ourselves,” said Smith. “In some cases, app store operators cause a very high price for developers they have to give up to 30% of their income to the gatekeeper so to speak, Apple in the store.” Apple responded to the news from the EU investigation on Tuesday, according to the Bloomberg, saying: “It is disappointing that the European Commission is making groundless complaints from a handful of companies that just want everything for free and don’t play by the same rules want like everyone else ”.