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Anatoly Yakovenko Takes Aim at Apple and Google: Solana Boss Wants to “Disrupt the App Store Duopoly

Published March 12, 2024 11:02 AM

By Teuta Franjkovic

Edited by Peter Henn

Yakovenko criticizes the app store model where platforms take 30% from app revenue. | Credit: Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Key Takeaways

Solana co-founder sees potential for cryptocurrency to disrupt Google and Apple’s app store dominance.
Yakovenko criticizes the app store model where platforms take a large cut from app revenue for simply listing them.
Solana Labs launched its Saga phone with a crypto app store and is developing Chapter 2.

Anatoly Yakovenko, the co-founder of Solana Labs, thinks cryptocurrency can challenge the dominant app store duo of Google and Apple.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the current model of software distribution on mobile devices. He also mentioned the hefty 30% commission Google and Apple take from app earnings, essentially for showcasing a list of top downloads.

Solana’s Yakovenko Targets Google and Apple’s App Store Dominance

Advocates for cryptocurrency are exploring its potential to penetrate and transform other industries. Yakovenko views blockchain technology as a means to challenge the established dominance of Google and Apple in the mobile app distribution market. These tech giants currently profit by helping smartphone users download software.

Memes have no value. Neither do loot boxes, and there is $100 BILLION worth of mobile game spending per year. The duopoly takes 30% of that just to display a top 10 list. That means 30% fewer games get made.

There is a tiny outside chance that crypto rails can grow fast… https://t.co/wDB9I8GIS4 pic.twitter.com/SMlsNaxnvu

— toly ??| bip-420 (@aeyakovenko) March 9, 2024

Yakovenko critiqued the apparent lack of intrinsic value in meme coins and loot boxes, but acknowledged the substantial $100 billion mobile gaming industry underpinning them. He highlighted the issue with the app store duopoly , which garners 30% of this revenue for just listing the top ten apps on each platform.

Can Crypto Apps Shake Up Google and Apple’s App Store Dominance?

Anatoly Yakovenko there is a slim, but significant, possibility that the rapid growth of blockchain infrastructure could unsettle the prevailing business models of the mobile app store duopoly dominated by Google and Apple.

#Solana Co-Founder Anatoly Yakovenko Thinks #Crypto Has a Shot at Disrupting the App Store Duopoly !

Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana Labs, believes that crypto can have a shot at disrupting Google’s and Apple’s app store duopoly.

He criticized the state of the software… pic.twitter.com/hx0fYatIGq

— GUY (@WEB_3_GUY) March 12, 2024

Solana Mobile, a subsidiary of Solana Labs dedicated to mobile technology, unveiled its inaugural smartphone, Saga, in 2023. This launch marked a significant milestone because Saga introduced the Solana Dapp Store. As a result, this expanded the mobile app landscape with more than 16 applications designed for various cryptocurrency-related activities.

This initiative represents Yakovenko’s effort to use the blockchain’s capabilities to redefine software distribution on mobile platforms. Therefore, this could help challenge the entrenched practices of the industry’s giants.

Solana Labs Aims to Break Into the Lucrative Mobile App Market

Despite Google and Apple’s firm grip on the mobile app market, featuring over five million apps between the Apple App Store and Google Play, the sector is on track to surpass $500 billion in revenue by 2024.

Solana Labs is poised to carve out its space within the market with its second smartphone, Chapter 2. The company has already seen over 100,000 orders during the presale phase, hitting the target necessary for hardware production.

60,000 preorders and counting…

A heartfelt thank you to this amazing community for your unwavering support and belief in the vision. You are the core of the #Chapter2 journey.

Secure your spot for #Chapter2 now https://t.co/LMnynuZBhW pic.twitter.com/gPJvoupsHc

— Solana Mobile 2️⃣ (@solanamobile) February 5, 2024

Furthermore, Solana Labs has successfully processed over $20 million in USDC payments, bypassing the hefty fees typically associated with such transactions, showcasing their potential to offer a competitive alternative in the mobile app ecosystem.

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About the Author

Teuta Franjkovic

Teuta is a seasoned writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has expertise in covering macroeconomics and technology as well as the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. She has worked for several publications as a journalist and editor, including Forbes, Bloomberg, CoinTelegraph, Coin Rivet, CoinSpeaker, VRWorld and Arcane Bear. Teuta began her professional career in 2005, working as a lifestyle writer at Cosmopolitan in Croatia. From there, she branched out to several other publications, covering mainly business and the economy. She then turned her attention to the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, believing that crypto is among the most important inventions in the history of humanity. Her involvement in fintech began in 2014 and she has since lent her expertise in writing, editing and gathering information about the world of crypto, blockchain, NFTs and Web3. An all-round news hound, mentor, editor, and writer, Teuta enjoys teamwork and good communication. She holds a WSET2 diploma and has a thing for chablis, punkrock music and shoes. She also holds a double MA in Political science and Entrepreneurship.

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