Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on why company will not launch its own app store for iPhones

Apple will allow third party app stores on its own App Store in Europe as the European Union’s new regulations are set to go into effect on March 7. However, at least one tech company has confirmed that it does not plan to launch an app store for iPhones. That tech giant is Facebook-parent Meta and its CEO has provided a reason during the fourth-quarter earnings call.

During the earnings call, Zuckerberg shared his company’s view on Apple’s new policies. He said that the way Apple has implemented the new policies, it won’t matter for the company as it is not going to have any difference.

“I don’t think that the Apple thing is going to have any difference for us. Because I think that the way they have implemented it, I would be very surprised if any developer chose to go into the alternative app stores that they have,” Zuckerberg said.

“They’ve made it so onerous, and I think so at odds with the intent of what the EU regulation was, that I think it’s just going to be very difficult for anyone, including ourselves, to really seriously entertain what they’re doing there,” he added.

Apple – and Google – have maintained that sideloading is a security threat for the iPhones and Android smartphones, respectively.

The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has forced the companies to open up the iPhone in the region. But Apple has introduced a new fee that is said to impact the business model of free apps like Meta’s if they are distributed outside of the App Store.

Spotify, Epic Games also against Apple’s new fees
Not only Zuckerberg, Spotify CEO Daniel EK and Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fornite maker Epic Games, have been among those who have criticised Apple’s new policies. While Sweeney dubbed Apple’s approach to sideloading “hot garbage”, Ek said it is “a new low.” Furthermore, David Heinemeier Hansson, the creator of Ruby on Rails and CTO of 37signals, called the setup an “extortion regime.”