Big Tech does not only have to worry about regulators seeking to curb its market domination. The leading players are increasingly having to watch their backs as well, as rivals seek to undermine their success.
From tomorrow, Google will cut the commission on apps and services sold through Google Play to 15 per cent on the first $1m of revenues, in a poke at Apple’s 30 per cent commission. Amazon rival Shopify said on Tuesday developers could keep 100 per cent of sales from the first $1m they make on its app store, starting August 1. Last week, Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 as a free upgrade later this year and said it would allow Android apps to run on it.
Clearly Apple has been the main target, but an old West Coast alliance of convenience has also been allowed to expire. Richard Waters reports Microsoft and Google have ended an almost six-year truce where outstanding lawsuits had been settled and there was an agreement not to litigate or complain about each other to regulators without first trying to resolve disagreements at the highest level internally.