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It brings to mind all sorts of positive things they could do only as the final arbiter of the only marketplace.

As Tim Cook said it's not all about the bloody ROI.

For example, they could require that the models depicted in app store screenshots are visibly diverse in all locales.

They could require a certain level of screen reader or even color blindness affordances.

They could require that the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) of the software be listed on the app store page.

Disclose which companies' telemetry software ships in the SDKs of the apps. List their UBOs.

Require apps to disclose their in-app marketing budget. I guarantee you this would correlate strongly negatively with app quality.

Many radical ideas.



> For example, they could require that the models depicted in app store screenshots are visibly diverse in all locales.

This is satire, right?


No, I don't think it is.

pours another glass of whiskey


> For example, they could require that the models depicted in app store screenshots are visibly diverse in all locales.

Doesn't this disadvantage smaller developers from countries less diverse than the United States?


How irate would people be if a developer from Nairobi got their app update rejected because they couldn't find an Asian woman to pose for one of their screenshots for the App Store?

I agree that diversity is a good thing, but it's important to remember that not every developer can afford to hire models to show diversity that doesn't exist in their country.


The developer from Nairobi wouldn't have an issue, because when such rules are interpreted in practice, "diverse" means "not white".


Then we can have a screenshots as a service, where you send in a bunch of screen shots, and the SAAS returns a suitably diverse range of models holding devices with the screenshots showing.

It could even be generated with a neural network so that you don't need to find or pay models, and you can configure what physical disabilities they might have.


The irony of the US exporting its own ethnic mix as a mandatory global culture hegimonic thing would be too much to bear. ;)


They could have a Screentime-type system just for being transparent about what you or your family spent in the last week on subscriptions, apps and in-app purchases, what free trials are ending, what apps have active subscriptions but no usage etc.

They could make virtual currencies show the real price if they were bought with real money. They could require 'free' transactions with virtual currencies to go through the same payment authentication.

They could make subscription apps require an ongoing service or value being added, aside from fixing their own bugs or trying to improve their software to attract new customers.


> Require apps to disclose their in-app marketing budget+

Require apps to disclose the average amount of in-app purchases per user.


UBO the way you said it brings back painful memories when it took me 2 weeks to understand all the Ownership hierarchies !


More interestingly, Apple, arrogating themselves to this role, is directly responsible for all the things that are not done, in that list and not in it.

Queue up the lobbyists.




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