> App stores have been on PC for decades at this point and the government isn't regulating them.
The government also hasn’t been regulating App stores on mobile until now and yet this is exactly what Epic and others are lobbying for.
Forcing a company to allow App stores is a form of regulation in itself.
In past decades, Apps were not a focus of government interest in the way they now are.
Governments will inevitably take an increasing interest in how software distribution plays a part in fraud, disinformation, cybercrime, and espionage, which decades ago were nascent.
The mobile industry has self-organized around restricted platforms curated stores as a solution to these problems.
App stores are commercial platforms with liability for what they sell. We’re already seeing increasing political pressure on stores from government.
The government can’t force the installation of new app stores without regulating what kind of App stores are allowed.
App stores are just apps, though. I think basic consumer protection laws similar to "right to repair" could be crafted along the lines of "right to sideload" that are designed to let folks install software of their choosing on devices they purchase. No need to regulate app stores specifically.
App stores have been on PC for decades at this point and the government isn't regulating them.
I'm not sure this concern is founded.