The App Store is back under scrutiny from lawmakers in Washington.A bipartisan group of senators has reintroduced the 2021 Open App Markets Act, a bill aimed at curbing the gatekeeper power that Apple and Google hold over the so-called “mobile app economy.” Here’s what they’re going for.If passed, the legislation would effectively force Apple and Google (who are not specifically named in the text) to allow sideloading, support third-party app stores, permit alternate payment systems, and stop penalizing developers for telling users about better prices elsewhere.
The bill’s reintroduction was made by U.S.Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).Here’s Senator Blumenthal on how he sees the current scenario: And here’s Senator Blackburn on her intention with the reintroduction of the bill: This isn’t the first time the bill has been floated.
The original version gained some traction a few years ago, even passing out of committee, but never made it to the Senate floor.The reintroduction comes as legal pressure on Apple continues to mount, including a renewed chapter in the ongoing Epic v.Apple saga, with Apple now appealing the case to the Ninth Circuit.
What the bill would do According to Senator Blackburn’s press release, if passed into law, the Open App Markets Act would: Right now, the bill is only proposed legislation, meaning it has been introduced in Congress but has not become law.It still needs to go through both chambers or be signed by the President.Via You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
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