The Apple Tax: How Platform Governance Controls the App Economy

Does Apple simply provide a platform, or does it govern a digital territory? In this second episode of our FAANG Antitrust Series, we move from search defaults to the walled garden of the iOS App Store.Key topics covered in this video:* The Power of Review: Apple, as the sole gatekeeper for native iOS apps, sets the rules for all third-party developers.* Commissions and Competition: Analyzing how the “Apple Tax” and in-app payment requirements affect developer costs and final consumer pricing.* Steering & Communication: Why restrictions on how developers talk to their users about prices might limit consumer choice.* The Lock-In Effect: How interoperability limits can raise switching costs, making it harder for users to leave the ecosystem.For a comprehensive article and illustration of this case, go to:#Antitrust #Platform #AppEconomy #Apple #iOS #AppStore #Economics #EconWorks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe