The European Union has fined Apple over 1.8 billion euros for abusing its dominant position in the market for distributing streaming music apps to iPhone and iPad users through its App Store.

The investigation by the European Commission found that Apple applied restrictions on app developers that prevented them from informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside the app.

The sanction is linked to a complaint filed by Spotify in 2019, in which they pointed out that Apple's App Store rules were deliberately limiting choice and inhibiting innovation, affecting the user experience. It also accused Apple, maker of the iPhone, of acting to the detriment of other app developers by playing a dual role as both participant and judge in the app store ecosystem.

Apple’s app monopoly 

In June 2020 , the Commission opened a formal proceeding on Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps through the App Store. In April 2021 , the Commission sent Apple a Statement of Objections, to which Apple responded in September 2021.

In February 2023, the Commission replaced the 2021 Statement of Objections with another Statement of Objections clarifying the Commission's objections, to which Apple responded in May 2023.

As a result, Apple faces a payout of approximately €40 million for failing to comply with EU regulations, in addition to another €1.8 billion intended to compensate for the harm caused to consumers due to its policies. This amount represents about 0.5% of Apple's total reported revenue in 2023. It is estimated that the fine could have been as high as 10% of that figure, the maximum limit set by the Commission for this type of punitive measure.

"Apple's conduct, which lasted nearly ten years, may have led many iOS users to pay significantly higher prices for streaming music subscriptions due to the high commission imposed by Apple on developers and passed on to consumers in the form of higher subscription prices for the same service on Apple's App Store" they state in the release.

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Meta wants to challenge Goole and Apple app stores now that the EU recently approved the Digital Markets Act, which is expected to come into force next spring. This new regulation will allow all platforms to distribute apps through other digital stores.

According to The Verge, Meta plans to allow people in the European Union to download apps directly through Facebook Ads. So this will mean an opportunity to compete with Google and Apple's app stores. The idea is to allow users to discover and download apps from Facebook instead of having to open the App Store on iOS. This would open up a new market for Meta.

Meta promises to host apps and give users the option to download them without intermediaries, and this - Meta claims - will achieve better conversion rates for their ads. In addition, at least for now, Meta will not charge a percentage of the revenue those apps get.

A Meta spokesperson, Tom Channick, confirmed this project in an email to The Verge: "We've always been interested in helping developers distribute their apps, and the new options would add more competition in this space. Developers deserve more ways to get their apps to the people who want them easily." 

In any case, Meta was not the only company interested in taking advantage of the new situation when the EU DMA comes into force. In March, Microsoft also announced that it expects to launch its alternative app store for iOS and Android games in Europe next year.

Meta is not so sure about the Metaverse anymore… 

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg assured that the metaverse remains an essential vision for Meta's future but that it will not be its main investment focus. That means it is no longer the priority. 

The metaverse is an idea popularized in science fiction that refers to a digital space where people can create and explore virtual worlds with avatars. In fact, Meta changed its name in 2021 to reflect its interest in this concept but now seems to have lost some of its enthusiasm.

Meta's change comes against a backdrop of high competition in the AI field, where other companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are developing innovative and disruptive technologies. AI is one of the most important trends of the 21st century and can potentially transform many sectors and aspects of human life. That's why Meta wants to be at the forefront and not be left behind.

According to Andrew Bosworth, Meta's CTO, Zuckerberg is now obsessed with generative artificial intelligence (AI), a technology that can create new and personalized content from data. Meta is heavily invested in AI research and development and has a language model called LLaMa that is rumored to be very powerful. Apparently, Zuckerberg has attention deficits and quickly shifts interest when a shiny new toy comes along.

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Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are web applications that aim to provide a native app-like experience to users. Among their many benefits, PWAs have become the go-to solution for many global brands wishing to have a successful e-commerce experience. 

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But why? What makes PWAs so efficient for e-commerce? Today we want to look at the Progressive Web Apps and what this technology can offer to our brands and business online! 

What are the Progressive Web Apps? 

The Progressive Web Apps are web applications built to provide native app-like capabilities while remaining capable of further improvement. 

They are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and can be accessed through a web browser like any other website. 

In fact, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) do not need to be installed in the traditional sense precisely because they are accessed through a web browser like any other website. 

However, they can be "installed" on the home screen of a device, which creates an icon that allows the user to launch the app like a native app.

Installing a PWA is usually done through the browser's "Add to Homescreen" feature, which the user can access through the browser menu or by prompting the user to install the app. Once the app is installed, it will appear on the home screen alongside native apps and can be launched by tapping the icon.

It's worth noting that installing a PWA on the home screen does not install the app on the device in the same way that a native app is installed. Instead, it creates a shortcut that opens the app in the browser when launched. However, the app will still function like a native app, with features such as offline support and push notifications.

However, PWAs have several features that make them more like native apps, such as the ability to work offline, receive push notifications, and be installed on the home screen of a device.

Why are PWAs a game-changer for e-commerce? 

In the e-commerce industry, PWAs can be particularly useful because they offer several benefits over traditional native apps and mobile websites. Here are some reasons why PWAs may be a good choice for e-commerce businesses:

1. Improved performance: PWAs are designed to be fast and responsive, which is important for providing a good user experience. They use caching and other techniques to minimize the need for network requests and reduce loading times. This can be particularly beneficial for users with slow internet connections or limited data plans.

2. Enhanced user experience: PWAs offer many of the same features as native apps, such as the ability to work offline and receive push notifications. This can improve the overall user experience and make it more convenient for users to interact with the app.

3. Increased conversion rates: PWAs have been shown to increase conversion rates for e-commerce businesses. This is likely due to their improved performance and enhanced user experience, which makes it easier for users to browse and purchase products.

4. Better search engine visibility: PWAs are treated as regular websites by search engines, meaning they can be indexed and appear in search results. This can be a significant advantage for e-commerce businesses, as it allows them to reach a wider audience and increase traffic to their site.

5. Lower development and maintenance costs: A native app can be costly and time-consuming. PWAs, on the other hand, can be developed and maintained more efficiently, as they use the same technologies as regular websites. This can result in significant cost savings for businesses.

6. Greater reach: PWAs can be accessed on any device with a web browser, which means that they have the potential to reach a much wider audience than native apps. This is especially important for e-commerce businesses, as it allows them to reach customers on various platforms and devices.

7. Easy to update: PWAs can be updated simply by updating the website. Businesses can make changes and improvements to the app without going through the lengthy app store review process. This allows for faster iteration and the ability to respond more quickly to user feedback.

In summary, PWAs can be a valuable tool for e-commerce businesses because they offer improved performance, enhanced user experience, increased conversion rates, better search engine visibility, lower development and maintenance costs, greater reach, and easy updates. 

If you are considering building an e-commerce app, it may be worth considering a PWA as an alternative to a native app.

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