Apple is the third-largest technology company in the world. Apple has sold over 2 billion devices worldwide.
On YouTube, there is an entire category titled “Apple YouTubers,” consisting of channels devoted to all things Apple.
A poll was conducted on PVHS students asking which phone they currently have and are using and 88 percent of students surveyed use iPhones. This goes to say that iPhones are the most popular smartphones at PVHS.
PVHS graduate Sophie Curtis explained how she feels about the popularity and prevalence of iPhones. “I do use an iPhone and I’ve never used any other type of phone,” Curtis explained. “I definitely think Androids are inferior to iPhones, and I wouldn’t consider switching. I’ve always had an iPhone and I plan to continue using iPhones.”
Debate has risen, however, on whether Apple is too large of a company and if they are participating in anticompetitive behavior, or business practices that unlawfully prevent or reduce competition in the market.
This year, there have been multiple court cases addressing the issue of Apple’s anticompetitive behavior, which includes Apple taking 30 percent of profits from third-party developers using their app store and making the app store the sole way to download apps on Apple devices.
Jason Landa, a coding teacher at PVHS shared his thoughts on this legal battle. “One of Apple’s greatest strengths is being able to control the quality of software and hardware that go into their devices. As for charging 30%, I feel that high of a stake in the software is cutting into the creativity of the market for iOS.” Landa explained.
Landa is not the only one feeling this way, as the “Coalition of App Fairness” was created by some of the biggest third-party developers for the iOS platform including Spotify, Epic Games and Tinder.
Regardless of the outcome of the legal battle between Apple and third-party developers, this issue has stirred a topic never discussed before and will generate new precedents for large technology corporations to ensure that anticompetitive behavior is being managed and kept at a minimum.
