Mark Zuckerberg says Apple charges ‘monopoly rents’ in the App Store, stifles innovation and competition

Recently, Facebook launched Facebook Gaming without any games to play in the new app/service on iOS devices. Why? Because Apple doesn’t allow for those types of game streaming apps in the App Store.

So it’s not surprising to hear that Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, has some choice words for Apple and its digital storefront. BuzzFeed News has the report today, detailing Zuckerberg’s comments during a company-wide meeting. While on a webcast with 50,000 employees, Zuckerberg was asked about Apple’s current predicament, and used his time to criticize Apple.

Zuckerberg was asked about Apple’s decision to block certain gaming apps and services, like the aforementioned one and Microsoft’s xCloud. Zuckerberg said in the meeting that Apple has a “unique stranglehold” thanks to the App Store, and can use that to “block innovation” and competition.

[Apple has] this unique stranglehold as a gatekeeper on what gets on phones,” Zuckerberg said to more than 50,000 employees via webcast. He added that the Cupertino, California-based company’s app store “blocks innovation, blocks competition” and “allows Apple to charge monopoly rents.”

That’s innovation that could really improve people’s lives,” Zuckerberg said on Thursday. “And Apple’s just balking at it.”

When it comes to the kerfuffle between Apple and Epic Games, Zuckerberg said that it’s quite problematic”. He said that Apple’s threat to block the Unreal Engine (which would also impact other studios beyond just Epic Games) was “just an extremely aggressive move”.

Other topics cropped up as well. Privacy changes in iOS 14, for instance. Zuckerberg has criticized Apple for its decisions to make web tracking more difficult for publishers and sites — something that publisher have echoed as well.

So, what do you think? Is Apple stifling innovation and competition through its App Store? Is Apple only comfortable with innovation and helping people when it’s developed by them? Let us know what you think in the comments.