AP; Francois Mori/AP
- Mark Zuckerberg called Apple’s control of the App Store “problematic” during an interview on Wednesday.
- The Facebook founder said Apple’s control of iOS has made it difficult for Meta.
- Zuckerberg’s comments echo Elon Musk, who called the App Store a “serious problem” on Tuesday.
Mark Zuckerberg has attacked Apple and appeared to side with Elon Musk over the iPhone company’s control of the App Store during an interview on Wednesday.
“I think Apple has sort of emerged as the only company that’s trying to unilaterally control what apps get on a device, and I don’t think that’s a sustainable or a good place,” Zuckerberg said during an interview on the New York Times DealBook Summit. “I think it’s problematic when a company can control what kind of app experiences get onto the device,” he added.
Apple and Meta spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of the release.
New York Times reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin had asked Zuckerberg for his thoughts on Musk’s recent fight with Apple. Tuesday, Musk called Apple’s control of the App Store “a serious issue” and appeared to be declaring a “war” on Apple. The billionaire and “Chief Twit” said the tech giant threatened to remove Twitter from its app store without giving a reason.
While Zuckerberg didn’t directly comment on Musk’s fight with Apple, the Meta CEO said he believes Apple “stands out as the only one where a company can control what apps get on the device.” He noted that although the Google Play Store has launched apps from its store, other app stores are available to Android users and there is also the option of sideloading apps.
Zuckerberg has been critical of Apple’s policies for several years. In 2020, he accused the company of charging “monopoly rents” in the form of app store fees and blocking competition. Musk has also criticized Apple’s app store fee. The tech company controls app distribution for iPhone and iPad, and handles between 15% and 30% of most in-app purchases made through iOS apps.
On Wednesday, Zuckerberg said Apple’s policies pose a risk to Meta because he sees them as one of the company’s “big competitors.”
“There’s a conflict of interest there, and that doesn’t make her just some kind of governor who cares about the welfare of the people,” Zuckerberg said. “I think they also have a lot of strategic interests of their own, which makes it very challenging.”
The Facebook founder also said Apple’s new privacy policies have been “tough” on the company. Earlier this year, Meta said Apple’s app tracking transparency feature would cut the company’s revenue by about $10 billion in 2022.
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