Is it just me, or is this just malicious compliance?<p>Good luck hosting a marketplace for say, foss apps, with this requirement set forth by Apple:<p>>Do either of the following: (1) Provide Apple a stand-by letter of credit in the amount of €1,000,000 from a financial institution that’s at least A-rated or equivalent by S&P, Fitch, or Moody’s, and maintain that standby letter of credit as long as your alternative app marketplace is in operation; or (2) be a member of good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more, and have an app that had more than one million first annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year.<p>Source: https://developer.apple.com/support/alternative-app-marketplace-in-the-eu/
I dunno, doesn't seem like that big of a deal?<p>They say<p>> Operating an alternative app marketplace requires significant responsibility and oversight of the user experience<p>Having access to 1 million space bucks is indication of at least some responsibility. And being around for 2 years without breaking the rules and having an app people seem to like I guess shows responsibility too?<p>Apple wants someone to sue on behalf of their users if an Appstore does bad things. I don't think that's terribly unreasonable.
What would be the benefit for hosting a marketplace for FOSS apps in the first place?<p>A FOSS non-profit can apply for a gratis Apple developer account -- <a href="https://developer.apple.com/support/fee-waiver/" rel="nofollow">https://developer.apple.com/support/fee-waiver/</a>