But why should you care?

These numbers hold the potential to reshape users’ digital experiences fundamentally. Here’s a sneak peek into the mobile development trends for 2024 and beyond, providing insights that can steer you towards creating compelling and future-ready mobile applications. 

On-Demand Apps 

As technology continues to evolve and consumer preferences shift towards convenience and instant gratification, the on-demand app trend, along with mobile app development services, is expected to continue growing and shaping the future of various industries. On-demand apps empower businesses to improve customer experience, reach new heights, and operate more efficiently. 

IoT-Powered Mobile Apps 

2024 is set to bring about greater integration with Internet of things (IoT) devices, creating interconnected ecosystems that offer a smooth user experience. 

IoT isn’t just about smart homes; it’s an omnipresent force reshaping entire industries. Picture your smartphone transforming your vehicle into a self-diagnosing asset, always ensuring peak performance. 

From smart home controls to wearable devices, IoT-powered mobile apps will become central hubs, allowing users to effortlessly manage and monitor their surroundings. 

What does this mean for businesses? Enhanced operational efficiency, reduced costs, and improved sustainability. 

5G Integration 

The widespread adoption of 5G networks is set to revolutionize mobile app development. With lightning-fast speeds and virtually zero latency, 5G enables developers to create more immersive and real-time experiences.  

Blockchain for Security 

As concerns about data security and privacy continue to escalate, blockchain technology is emerging as a game-changer in the latest mobile app security trends. Blockchain ensures secure, unbeaten and transparent transactions as it stores data in isolated blocks. It’s a perfect solution for applications that deal with sensitive information and demand an extra layer of security.  

Voice Users Interfaces 

Voice-activates applications, powered by natural language processing (NLP) algorithms, will offer users an intuitive experience. From virtual assistants to voice-activated commands within applications, this trend will not only enhance accessibility but also redefine how users interact with their devices. 

With Voice User Interfaces (VUIs), you won’t need to interact with your smart devices through predetermined commands anymore. No more tapping, typing, or swiping. Instead, you’ll converse with your technology as naturally as you would with a friend. 

Augmented Reality (AR) Navigation 

The Forbes Technology Council predicts a significant rise in AR navigation, anticipating it will play a crucial role in various sectors, particularly travel and urban navigation, in 2024. AR technology enhances navigation by overlaying digital information onto the physical world through devices like smartphones and AR glasses. This advancement aims to make navigation more intuitive and interactive, providing real-time directions, points of interest, and contextual information tailored to the user’s location and needs​ 

Customizable Apps for Foldable Devices 

Statista anticipates that over 50 million foldable smartphones will be shipped globally this year. This creates a distinctive opening for entrepreneurs and app developers alike. 

With millions of foldable phones hitting the market, it’s a goldmine for creative minds. These devices boast huge screens and can juggle multiple apps at once, opening doors for developers to craft experiences unlike ever before. This could totally redefine how we build apps in the future. But that’s not all! The trend is hot for wearable devices too. Imagine designing apps specifically for smartwatches or fitness trackers, perfectly tailored to your audience’s needs.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning 

In 2024, we’re just scratching the surface of AI’s potential in mobile app development. But as we delve deeper, humanity is on the brink of experiencing a revolutionary shift. With AI and machine learning, developers are set to create apps that understand users better, anticipate their needs, and offer personalized recommendations. This is just the beginning of a journey toward a more intelligent and tailored user experience. 

Cloud Computing 

In mobile development, a cloud-centric approach utilizes cloud computing services for tasks like data storage, processing, and authentication. This enhances scalability, enables easy updates, and improves data security, optimizing overall mobile app performance and user experience. In fact, this trend will continue to grow as the adoption of cloud-native development is expected to advance by 25.28% through 2028. 

Chatbots 

Chatbots are transforming mobile apps. They are certainly on the rise as a key customer service tool. Chatbots offer intuitive, personalized experiences driven by NLP and machine learning. Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning are making chatbots smarter and more effective. They redefine user interaction, enhance engagement, and drive innovation across various app functionalities beyond customer service. 

Minimalistic Mobile UI/UX Design 

In a recent design trend analysis, Forbes industry experts have observed a significant shift in mobile application design, with principles of minimalism and neomorphism taking center stage. 

Minimalism will drive a reduction in clutter and unnecessary elements within mobile app interfaces. This will lead to cleaner designs, with a focus on essential features and content. Users will appreciate the ease of navigation and the reduced cognitive load when interacting with these apps. 

By prioritizing simplicity, realism, and intuitive design, app developers can create multiplatform user experiences that resonate with users and elevate the overall quality of the mobile app ecosystem. 

mCommerce 

Mobile commerce is on track to reach over $740 billion in 2024, a significant jump from just a few years ago. This shows a clear shift in consumer behavior towards mobile shopping. 

Why is mCommerce a trend? 

There are several factors driving the mCommerce boom: 

• Convenience: Consumers can shop from anywhere, anytime, with just their smartphones. This ease of access is a major advantage. 
• Personalized Experiences: Mobile devices allow for more targeted marketing and promotions, creating a more personalized shopping experience. 

What’s next for mCommerce? Emerging mobile technologies. Technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could revolutionize product visualization and try-on experiences. 

By staying on top of these eCommerce mobile app trends, businesses can ensure they’re offering a mobile-first shopping experience that meets the evolving needs of consumers. 

Final Thoughts 

As mobile development trends continue to evolve, staying ahead of the curve is key. Embrace all these mobile application development future trends not only to survive but to thrive in the competitive mobile tech landscape of 2024. 

Remember, investing in trending mobile app development technologies isn’t just a short-term gain—it’s a commitment to the enduring success and relevance of your mobile app. So, stay agile and let your app journey seamlessly into the tech future! 

At Silk Data, we deliver customized mobile app development services with advanced AI integration, designed to address the specific requirements of our clients. Our offerings extend beyond development to include robust IT consulting and app prototyping services. Our team of experts meticulously analyzes current systems to identify areas for enhancement, creating innovative and effective AI-driven solutions. This comprehensive approach ensures a smooth and efficient journey towards achieving business growth and long-term success for our clients. 

iFixit has been at the heart of several companies’ efforts to provide DIY repair services to their customers, including Samsung. Despite the two companies working together for two years, they are ending their deal, with iFixit questioning Samsung’s commitment to self-repair.

“Two years ago we launched iFixit’s Samsung Repair Hub with the goal of building an incredible, repair-friendly ecosystem,” said Scott Head, iFixit Operations and Logistics Supervisor. “We aimed to set the gold standard for repair documentation and empower local independent repair businesses with the tools and parts they needed to thrive, all while keeping Galaxy devices running.

“Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to deliver on that promise.

“As we tried to build this ecosystem we consistently faced obstacles that made us doubt Samsung’s commitment to making repair more accessible. We couldn’t get parts to local repair shops at prices and quantities that made business sense. The part prices were so costly that many consumers opted to replace their devices rather than repair them. And the design of Samsung’s Galaxy devices remained frustratingly glued together, forcing us to sell batteries and screens in pre-glued bundles that increased the cost.”

Head goes on to say that Samsung relied on flashy press release, but provided little to no follow through.

“Despite skepticism from the repair community, we tried to work with Samsung to create repair documentation for a few initial devices,” Head added. “However, flashy press releases and ambitious initiatives don’t mean much without follow-through. We’ve been through this with Samsung before with Galaxy Upcycling, the amazing device reuse idea that we helped them announce. Then they ghosted us and never released it. We clearly didn’t learn our lesson the first time, and two years ago we let them convince us they were serious about embracing repair.”

Head also reassures users that iFixit will continue to support Samsung devices, just as it did before an official deal with the company.

“That said, Samsung phones clearly need repair,” Head explains. “No worries on that front: we will continue selling Samsung parts just as we have since 2015, well before our partnership. Although we won’t be making in-house Galaxy guides, we invite our community to keep sharing what you know about repairing Samsung devices. Anyone can make an iFixit guide—in fact, over half of our 100,000+ guides were not written by our in-house team. And for our repair shop customers, we’re no longer beholden to the miserly quantity limits you’ve been so frustrated by.”

The executive goes on to say that iFixit is determined not to let one bad apple spoil everything the company has worked for, which is why it’s ending its relationship with Samsung now.

Apple unveiled AirTag in early 2021 as a way for users to easily keep track of items that are easily lost. Unfortunately, the devices quickly “the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers” who used them to track their victims. A lawsuit filed in late 2022 described the extent of the issue:

One of the products that has revolutionized the scope, breadth, and ease of location-based stalking is the Apple AirTag. Introduced in April 2021, this device is roughly the size of a quarter, and its sole purpose is to transmit its location to its owner.

What separates the AirTag from any competitor product is its unparalleled accuracy, ease of use (it fits seamlessly into Apple’s existing suite of products), and affordability. With a price point of just $29, it has become the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.

With Google unveiling its own network designed to rival Apple’s Find My capabilities, the two companies have been working together to make it easy for users to know when they are being tracked against their will. Apple outlined the new feature in a post on its site:

Apple and Google have worked together to create an industry specification — Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers — for Bluetooth tracking devices that makes it possible to alert users across both iOS and Android if such a device is unknowingly being used to track them. This will help mitigate the misuse of devices designed to help keep track of belongings. Today Apple is implementing this capability in iOS 17.5, and Google is now launching this capability on Android 6.0+ devices.

With this new capability, users will now get an “[Item] Found Moving With You” alert on their device if an unknown Bluetooth tracking device is seen moving with them over time, regardless of the platform the device is paired with.

If a user gets such an alert on their iOS device, it means that someone else’s AirTag, Find My accessory, or other industry specification-compatible Bluetooth tracker is moving with them. It’s possible the tracker is attached to an item the user is borrowing, but if not, iPhone can view the tracker’s identifier, have the tracker play a sound to help locate it, and access instructions to disable it. Bluetooth tag manufacturers including Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee have committed that future tags will be compatible.

While competing companies within the tech industry don’t always work well together, it’s good to see Apple and Google cooperating on such an important issue.

As expected, the latest iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s new M4 custom silicon. Apple touts the performance and efficiency of the M4 over the M2 that powered the previous iPad Pro:

The new CPU offers up to four performance cores and now six efficiency cores, with next-generation machine learning (ML) accelerators, to deliver up to 1.5x faster CPU performance over M2 in the previous-generation iPad Pro. M4 builds on the GPU architecture of M3 — the 10-core GPU includes powerful features like Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, which come to iPad for the first time. Coupled with higher unified memory bandwidth, pro rendering apps like Octane will see up to 4x faster performance than M2. M4 also delivers tremendous gains and industry-leading performance per watt. Compared to M2, M4 can deliver the same performance using just half the power, and compared to the latest PC chip in a thin and light laptop, M4 can deliver the same performance using just a quarter of the power.

The new model includes an industry-first display, with Apple using two OLED screens and combining the light from both to provide the brightness, as well as unprecedented range and depth of color. Apple calls this tandem OLED tech the Ultra Retina XDR display. The display provides 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness for both SDR and HDR, and 1,600 peak nits for HDR.

Apple Pencil

Apple released the Apple Pencil Pro, bringing a slew of new capabilities to the accessory. The Pencil Pro includes a sensor in the barrel that senses and responds to squeezes, giving users the ability to set up custom actions.

The Pencil Pro also includes a custom haptic engine to provide feedback when users trigger various actions, while a gyroscope gives users the ability to fine-tuned control of tools by rotating the barrel.

AI Takes Center Stage

Early reports suggested that Apple’s M4 could be an AI powerhouse, and the company was quick to show off the M4-powered AI features of the new iPad Pro.

The new iPad Pro with M4 features Apple’s most powerful Neural Engine ever, capable of 38 trillion operations per second, which is 60x faster than Apple’s first Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic chip. Combined with next-generation ML accelerators in the CPU, a high-performance GPU, more memory bandwidth, and intelligent features and powerful developer frameworks in iPadOS, the Neural Engine makes the new iPad Pro an outrageously powerful device for AI. With iPad Pro with M4, users can perform AI-enabled tasks even faster, like easily isolate a subject from its background in 4K video with just a tap with Scene Removal Mask in Final Cut Pro. With this advanced level of performance, the Neural Engine in M4 is more powerful than any neural processing unit in any AI PC today.

All-in-all, the new iPad Pro is one of the most compelling upgrades the iPad line has ever seen, especially for professionals.

Google closed its acquisition of Fitbit in early 2021, and wasted no time integrating the service. Google began requiring Fitbit users have a Google account, and started killing off popular community-focused Fitbit features.

First noticed by 9to5Google, the Fitbit site now sports a ‘Buy on Google Store’ button, along with the following message:

Fitbit is now part of Google, so your checkout and purchase will be completed on Google Store.

While Fitbit.com still has product information, routing sales through the Google Store likely cuts down on infrastructure costs and streamlines operations.

According to NBC’s Emilie Ikeda, users are taking to social media to report the issue, leading multiple outlets to pick it up. MacRumors cites a TikTok video that seems to indicate Attention Aware feature may contribute to the issue, but this has not been confirmed.

Apple is reportedly working on the issue, but there is no word when a fix will be released. In the meantime, users are advised to use another alarm to be on the safe side.

According to TechCrunch, RockAuto—which does not have an app of its own—discovered that a fake app was impersonating the company on the App Store. The company became aware of the issue when customers complained of “annoying ads” in the app.

Despite repeatedly requesting that Apple remove the fraudulent app, and routing such requests through Apple’s official channels, the iPhone make has yet to remove the app.

“It’s mostly one-way since the only replies we’ve had from Apple are ‘you shouldn’t have emailed, go use the online form’ and ‘upload screen prints of the app store listing and your trademark registration,’” RockAuto co-founder and president Jim Taylor told *TechCrunch, despite RockAuto already taking the steps Apple outlined.

“Neither the uploaded documents nor the online form submissions produced any response at all,” Taylor added, “not even the promised ‘case number in 24 hours’ despite multiple submissions,” he said.

Apple has repeatedly argued that its walled garden approach provides users a layer of security that is missing from competing platforms, such as Android. The company has used that argument as the crux of its defense in trials defending its tight control over the App Store ecosystem.

The fact that bad actors can upload a fraudulent app is bad enough. That Apple is taking no action to resolve the situation, despite RockAuto’s repeated attempts, is unconscionable.

Early reports indicate that Apple’s M4 may be an AI powerhouse, potentially leveraging the company’s ReALM AI. While many are looking forward to seeing the M4 in the company’s Mac lineup, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple may include the M4 in the upcoming iPad Pro refresh first.

I’m hearing there is a strong possibility that the chip in the new iPad Pro will be the M4, not the M3. Better yet, I believe Apple will position the tablet as its first truly AI-powered device — and that it will tout each new product from then on as an AI device. This, of course, is all in response to the AI craze that has swept the tech industry over the last couple years.

If Gurman is right, the M4 could help the iPad differentiate itself among Apple’s products. For years, the iPad has struggled to find its footing. On the one hand, the iPad is powered by some of the same hardware as Apple’s computers. On the other hand, however, the iPad has always been held back by iPadOS, never offering the same level of power and functionality as its Mac siblings, despite having the computing power to do so.

Leveraging AI and positioning the iPad Pro as an AI device could help it stand out and find a clearer purpose between the iPhone and Mac lineup. At the same time, including the M4 in the iPad Pro would be an odd move, one that would clearly upstage Mac if it is not updated at the same time.

Sean Ennis, a professor of competition policy at the University of East Anglia, filed the lawsuit against Apple in mid-2023 on behalf of more than 1,500 app developers in the UK. The lawsuit was opt-out, meaning the developers were automatically included in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims Apple is abusing monopoly it has created, charging developers an unfair commission.

“I have been studying competition questions for decades — and digital competition for quite a long time,” Ennis said at the time. “I’ve written about it in technical economic papers but also in less technical work. And I’m really convinced that the type of behaviour we’re talking about in this case is deeply problematic. So I was interested in taking a role to help get some redress for those who I feel have been harmed by the behaviour.

“Another element that is critical is that even if the fee was zero, you would still have the same App Store because Apple could not sell a single device without valuable apps such as Tinder, Spotify, Netflix, news apps, game apps and the like,” he added. “It’s only because they have created a monopoly of distribution for themselves that they’re able to collect this extraordinary commission.”

According to Reuters, Apple sought to have the case dismissed based on its position that developers in the UK cannot make a claim in the UK unless they were charged a commission for sales within the UK. Judge Andrew Lenon disagreed, however, saying he believed the plaintiff’s lawyers had a reasonable chance of providing that “Apple’s overcharging of commission to app developers based in the UK in relation to commerce transacted on non-UK storefronts did amount to conduct implemented in the UK”.

The case is the latest challenge Apple is facing to its walled garden. The EU has already forced Apple to allow third-party stores for EU customers and the DOJ has launched an antitrust suit, accusing Apple of “monopolizing smartphone markets.”

The current iPad lineup is beginning to show its age, with nearly a year and half since the last release. Multiple outlets, including Bloomberg, put the next model’s release in May.

According to DigiTimes, via MacRumors, the iPad’s release has slipped from March to April to May, with suppliers saying the issues lies with the tablet’s camera lens production.

The upcoming iPad release is believe to be a significant one, with rumors of OLED displays on the Pro model, and updates to the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Unfortunately, it looks like users will have to wait a bit longer before getting their hands on new models…if production doesn’t slip again.

Location data is among the most prized data that companies and advertisers can leverage. While there are various third-party solutions to give users more control over their privacy, Google appears to preparing to give users direct control over their location data.

According to Android Authority, Android’s source code includes information regarding a new API that “updates the current user setting of sharing the location data. This value must be used by radio before honoring a network initiated location request for non emergency use cases. The radio shall ignore this setting during emergency call, emergency SMS or emergency call back modes and continue to provide the location information to the network initiated location requests.”

As the notes indicate, with the exception of emergency situations, it appears users will be able to change the setting to allow or disallow location sharing.

Android Authority rightly makes the point that this likely won’t stop carriers from determining a user’s approximate location, as they can see which towers the user’s phone is accessing. However, the feature will at least give users the ability to protect their precise location.

iOS has always restricted where users can place icons, forcing them into a continuous grid. According to MacRumors, that appears to be changing with iOS 18—at least to a degree.

The outlet’s sources say iOS 18’s Home Screen will likely still rely on a grid pattern for icon placement for the sake of uniformity, but users will be able to have blank rows, colums, or individual icon spaces.

The change isn’t a ground-breaking one, but will nonetheless give users a welcome option for for further customization.

According to a report by Android Authority, Google is working on bringing satellite-based text messaging to Android 15. The feature will be rolled out in partnership with T-Mobile and SpaceX.

AA’s Mishaal Rahman details his findings:

While digging through the latest Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 release, I managed to surface the new Satellite Messaging page in Settings. The page describes how “you can send and receive text messages by satellite as part of an eligible […] account.” It further describes how your phone will “auto-connect to a satellite” when you don’t have cellular connectivity, but to get the “best connection,” you need to “keep a clear view of the sky” as “weather and certain structures may affect your satellite connection.”

Interestingly, Google’s implementation appears to one-up Apple, giving users the ability to text via satellite for any reason, not just the emergency use iOS is currently restricted to.

Furthermore, once your phone connects to a satellite, you can seemingly “text anyone,” not just emergency services. When you’re in range of a mobile network again, your phone will disconnect from the satellite and reconnect to cellular.

If Google does roll out the feature, it will give Android a significant advantage over iOS, especially for customers whose service is spotty.

1. Banuba Video Editor SDK:

Banuba Video Editor SDK is a versatile solution for integrating advanced video editing capabilities into React Native apps. It offers features such as real-time effects, filters, AR (Augmented Reality) overlays, face tracking, and AI-powered editing tools.

Banuba React Native Video Editor SDK is optimized for mobile platforms, providing smooth performance and seamless integration with React Native apps. It offers comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and support from the Banuba team, making it easy for developers to get started and build immersive video editing experiences.

2. Expo Video Editor:

Expo is a comprehensive platform for building React Native apps, offering a wide range of APIs and components for various functionalities. Expo’s Video component allows developers to integrate basic video editing capabilities into their apps, such as trimming, cropping, and adding filters.

It provides a simple and straightforward solution for developers looking to incorporate basic video editing functionalities into their React Native apps. Expo Video Editor is well-suited for applications that require minimal video editing capabilities or those targeting beginners and hobbyists.

3. React Native Video Editor:

React Native Video Editor is an open-source library that provides extensive video editing functionalities for React Native apps. It offers features such as trimming, cropping, merging, splitting, adding text overlays, applying filters, and adjusting playback speed.

React Native Video Editor is highly customizable, with support for custom UI components and integration with third-party libraries. It is actively maintained and supported by the developer community, ensuring compatibility with the latest versions of React Native and mobile operating systems.

Choosing the right programming language and development framework can significantly impact your app’s functionality and performance. React Native development, for instance, allows for the creation of native apps for both Android and iOS platforms using a single codebase. This can accelerate development timelines and reduce costs while maintaining a high performance similar to native apps.

4. KineMaster SDK:

KineMaster is a popular video editing platform for mobile devices, offering a robust SDK for integrating video editing capabilities into React Native apps. It provides a comprehensive set of features, including multi-layer video editing, audio mixing, transitions, effects, and real-time previews.

KineMaster SDK for React Native offers a wide range of APIs and UI components for seamless integration and customization. It is optimized for performance and efficiency, allowing developers to create high-quality video editing experiences with minimal resource usage.

5. VideoKit:

VideoKit is a powerful video editing SDK for React Native apps, offering a wide range of features for creating professional-grade video editing experiences. It provides tools for trimming, cropping, merging, adding text overlays, applying transitions, and more.

VideoKit offers a flexible architecture with support for custom UI components, themes, and plugins, allowing developers to create unique and engaging video editing interfaces.

It is optimized for performance and efficiency, with support for high-resolution video editing and real-time previews.

Conclusion:

The choice of React Native video editor software depends on factors such as the complexity of the app, desired features, development timeline, and budget. Whether you’re building a simple video editing app or a sophisticated multimedia platform, there are plenty of options available to suit your needs. By exploring the features and capabilities of each software mentioned in this guide, developers can make an informed decision and create compelling video editing experiences for their users.

Apple’s M-series chips are based on Arm designs and have upended the PC industry. MacBook performance rivals the top chips from Intel and AMD, while offering superior energy efficiency and battery life. Much of the benefits come from the advantages offered by Arm’s architecture.

While Qualcomm also makes Arm-based chips, the company has struggled to match Apple’s M-series…at least until now. According to TechRadar and Windows Latest, the latest benchmarks of Windows running on a Snapdragon X Elite show it competing head-to-head with top-end MacBooks.

Microsoft has been focusing more on Arm, promoting Windows on Arm-based devices—something that would have been unthinkable during Intel’s heyday. The company has been working closely with Qualcomm to make high-performance Arm-based PCs, even having an exclusive relationship with the chip firm for some time.

If the Snapdragon X Elite delivers as well as initial benchmarks indicate, Apple could finally have some real competition in the mobile arena.

Apple says the new analytics will give developers greater insight into their apps and business performance, thanks to more than 50 new reports.

Over 50 new reports are now available through the App Store Connect API to help you analyze your apps’ App Store and iOS performance. These reports include hundreds of new metrics that can enable you to evaluate your performance and find opportunities for improvement. Reports are organized into the following categories:

• App Store Engagement — the number of users on the App Store interacting with a developer’s app or sharing it with others
• App Store Commerce — downloads, sales, pre-orders, and transactions made with the secure App Store In-App Purchase system
• App Usage — active devices, installs, app deletions, and more
• Frameworks Usage — an app’s interaction with OS capabilities, such as PhotoPicker and Widgets
• Performance — how your apps perform and how users interact with specific features

The company says additional reports are also available via the CloudKit console and provide information about Apple Push Notifications and File Provider.

WSA was designed to let users run Android within Windows, giving users access to the Amazon Appstore. Microsoft announced in a post that it will be ending support for WSA, effective March 5, 2025.

Microsoft is ending support for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). As a result, the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all applications and games dependent on WSA will no longer be supported beginning March 5, 2025. Until then, technical support will remain available to customers.
Customers that have installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps prior to March 5, 2024, will continue to have access to those apps through the deprecation date of March 5, 2025. Please reach out to our support team for further questions at support.microsoft.com. We are grateful for the support of our developer community and remain committed to listening to feedback as we evolve experiences.

Microsoft did not provide a reason for its decision, but it likely stems from the relative obscurity of the Amazon Appstore compared to the Google Play Store.

Apple has managed to dodge antitrust fines in the EU, at least until now. The EU commission levied the fine in response to a complaint by Spotify. The investigation revolves around accusations of “anti-steering,” a term for Apple’s attempts to ban apps from steering their users to cheaper ways to subscribe to their services.

The EU says its “investigation found that Apple bans music streaming app developers from fully informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside of the app and from providing any instructions about how to subscribe to such offers.”

The EU Commission says that Apple’s anti-steering measures, which lasted for nearly a decade, may have caused many users to pay much more for subscriptions than they should have.

“For a decade, Apple abused its dominant position in the market for the distribution of music streaming apps through the App Store,” said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy. “They did so by restricting developers from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services available outside of the Apple ecosystem. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules, so today we have fined Apple over €1.8 billion.”

In addition to the fine, the EU ordered Apple to cease its anti-steering practices.

The Commission has also ordered Apple to remove the anti-steering provisions and to refrain from repeating the infringement or from adopting practices with an equivalent object or effect in the future.

Apple has already fired back, releasing a statement that says the EU’s investigation turned up no credible proof to support the accusations.

Today, the European Commission announced a decision claiming the App Store has been a barrier to competition in the digital music market. The decision was reached despite the Commission’s failure to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm, and ignores the realities of a market that is thriving, competitive, and growing fast.

Apple also called out Spotify, its position in the EU market and its motivations.

The primary advocate for this decision — and the biggest beneficiary — is Spotify, a company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Spotify has the largest music streaming app in the world, and has met with the European Commission more than 65 times during this investigation.

Today, Spotify has a 56 percent share of Europe’s music streaming market — more than double their closest competitor’s — and pays Apple nothing for the services that have helped make them one of the most recognizable brands in the world. A large part of their success is due to the App Store, along with all the tools and technology that Spotify uses to build, update, and share their app with Apple users around the world.

Apple goes on to say that Spotify is unfairly trying to change the rules of the App Store to gain an even greater advantage.

But free isn’t enough for Spotify. They also want to rewrite the rules of the App Store — in a way that advantages them even more.

Like many companies, Spotify uses emails, social media, text messages, web ads, and many other ways to reach potential customers. Under the App Store’s reader rule, Spotify can also include a link in their app to a webpage where users can create or manage an account.

We introduced the reader rule years ago in response to feedback from developers like Spotify. And a lot of reader apps use that option to link users to a webpage — from e-readers to video streaming services. Spotify could too — but they’ve chosen not to.

Instead, Spotify wants to bend the rules in their favor by embedding subscription prices in their app without using the App Store’s In-App Purchase system. They want to use Apple’s tools and technologies, distribute on the App Store, and benefit from the trust we’ve built with users — and to pay Apple nothing for it.

In short, Spotify wants more.

Apple says it plans to appeal the decision.

LastPass is a widely-used password manager that is available on a variety of platforms, including iOS. As a password manager, the app is popular target for hackers and bad actors, as evidenced by the breach the company experienced in 2022.

The company’s latest issue is a fraudulent app that tries to pass itself off as the official LastPass app on the App Store. Mike Kosak, LastPass Senior Principal Intelligence Analyst, detailed the issue:

LastPass would like to alert our customers to a fraudulent app attempting to impersonate our LastPass app on the Apple App Store. The app in question is called “LassPass Password Manager” and lists Parvati Patel as the developer. The app attempts to copy our branding and user interface, though close examination of the posted screenshots reveal misspellings and other indicators the app is fraudulent.

Interestingly, the app was still available when BleepingComputer reported on the news a day after LastPass first revealed the problem, although it has since been taken down.

The issue is a particularly bad look for Apple at a time when the company is facing increased criticism and regulatory action aimed at forcing it to open its iOS ecosystem to third-party app stores. Apple has repeatedly pushed back with the argument that its walled-garden approach provides increased security for its users.

Unfortunately, the fact that a fake LastPass app made it onto the App Store at all, let alone took at least a day to be removed, undermines Apple’s argument.

According to AppleInsider, the stock target cut came after Apple’s recent earnings report. The company revealed that its China iPhone sales declined “only mid-single digits.” Nonetheless, when combined with an 11% year-over-year revenue decline in China, JPMorgan opted to cut the stock price.

“Apple looked to explain the F2Q revenue outlook for a roughly -5% decline y/y through the tougher compares on account of the iPhone supply fill-in during F2Q last year,” wrote JP Morgan in a note seen by AppleInsider, “excluding which revenues are expected to track flat y/y despite a tough macro backdrop.”

“However, putting aside the comparables, the key driver of the weaker outlook for the company in F2Q relative to expectations, which has more reaching consequences to the outlook beyond F2Q, is primarily the headwinds to Macs, iPad, and Wearables,” the note continues.

The firm also raised concerns about Apple’s non-iPhone hardware sales, such as the Mac and iPad.

“While iPhones contribute a large majority of Product revenues for the company, and minor variances even in relation to comparables drive a significant variance in the financials,” the note says, “we believe the bigger concerns from the EPS print will be demand for the other Hardware product categories.”

Given the importance of the Chinese market to Apple’s growth, a decline in sales could spell trouble if the company cannot reverse it.