John Gruber argues that Apple's competitive edge is declining not due to improvements on other platforms, but because developers are less motivated to create high-quality native apps exclusively for Apple's ecosystem. This shift reduces the appeal of Apple devices, which traditionally attracted users through superior software offerings. The observation highlights a potential long-term challenge for Apple's platform strategy.
Background
Apple's App Store has long been a key differentiator for its platforms, leveraging curated native apps to drive hardware sales. Developer enthusiasm for creating Apple-exclusive software has historically been a core strength.
- Source
- Simon Willison
- Published
- Apr 16, 2026 at 01:13 AM
- Score
- 5.0 / 10