They're entirely correct. Google and Apple operate as a cartel.
If the web experience wasn't 90% Google (outside of social media), and the phone experience wasn't 50% Apple / 50% Google, everything would be cheaper due to competition.
Just look at the percentages app developers pay. In a free market with five alternatives, there probably wouldn't even be an app store. We'd do native app downloads over the web and invest a ton of energy into security and privacy controls.
> We'd do native app downloads over the web and invest a ton of energy into security and privacy controls.
This has been demonstrated to be false. This scenario is exactly what we used to have in the windows PC era and no one invested "a ton of energy into security and privacy controls".
That unfulfilled need is exactly what propelled Apple to the #1 spot when it came to the mobile era.
> That unfulfilled need is exactly what propelled Apple to the #1 spot when it came to the mobile era.
iPod is what propelled Apple to the #1 spot. They had a significant lead on touch, cool brand, music, luxury, and slick UI. It has nothing to do with their app store or software distribution model or other such "nerdy" topics that most consumers aren't even aware of.
the part of my web experience that Google is responsible is exceedingly inexpensive and I have a hard time understanding how competition could reduce the price I pay. Economies of scale don't work in favor of competition unfortunately.
The phone market isn't 50% Google unless you count Samsung as a subsidiary of it. Nor does the existence of Apple help me, the consumer, since they obviously don't compete on price.
If the web experience wasn't 90% Google (outside of social media), and the phone experience wasn't 50% Apple / 50% Google, everything would be cheaper due to competition.
Just look at the percentages app developers pay. In a free market with five alternatives, there probably wouldn't even be an app store. We'd do native app downloads over the web and invest a ton of energy into security and privacy controls.