Apple Under Pressure to Remove Geo-Blocking Restrictions in the EU

[Unregistered 4U]

Yeah and make all my DVD’s region free while you’re at it 😂

I know, right? They’ve got such a hard-on for Apple, they’re not even checking to see if what they’re going to write goes against OTHER regulations they already have in place!

I’ve said it before, the EU regulatory bodies biggest problem is its past iterations. The EU in the past allowed the same App Stores they’re now trying to restrict. They set up the geo-blocking they’re now saying is a bad thing. etc.

 

[hovscorpion12]

Once again the EU is engaging in targeted harassment.

This applies to HBO, Netflix, Hulu and EVERY SINGLE content consumption media which all require users to use a VPN to access in countries where

A. not available
B. specific Movie/TV is region locked

Why can't US users watch BBC TV shows. [Same thing]

consumers using Apple Media Services, such as the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV+, encounter different interfaces and content depending on their country of registration

 

[ifxf]

Why should the EU try to force their regulations into other non EU countries...

What if the EU made a regulation that was illegal in America...
Then Apple would be in trouble in the US...

Something needs to be done regarding the EU's practices and "forcing" third party app stores...

Apple has different digital rules by EU country. By EU rules they should have the sam rules for all EU country.

 

[TruthWatcher412]

Not defending Apple but doesn’t this depend on local laws too? So if it’s more trouble than it’s worth to make something available then they’re not going to.

Does this cover third party apps too? Isn’t that up to the individual developers to make their app available or not?

 

[j26]

I am not 100% sure what is going on here. How can the EU enforce 3rd party developers, content creators and distribution companies to license their work in their market?

If I don't license (or want to release )my software, content, or media in a given country, union or market, am I subject to an EU fine now?

Would you make such a distinction if it was the USA? The EU is a single market too.

Can you even decide to only release your app in certain states of the US and not others? Genuine question as I don't know.

 

[ifxf]

This is akin to saying Apple shouldn't be able to lock residents of, say, Alabama out of downloading certain apps that everyone else in the USA can download.

Makes a lot of sense. A single market is a single market, after all.

Apple already does that for Utah with respect to minors.

 

[nortonandreev]

Also why is Apple News not available in the EU yet?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Hope the EU keeps this up and Apple doesn’t manage to find an official to “lobby”. It will set a good precedent for other countries which put consumer interest/protection much much lower than shareholder value.

To be fair, if a company doesn’t have shareholders that invest in it, providing it the ability to create goods and services, it likely is not producing anything for consumers to be interested in OR protected from.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Why should the EU try to force their regulations into other non EU countries...

What if the EU made a regulation that was illegal in America...
Then Apple would be in trouble in the US...

Something needs to be done regarding the EU's practices and "forcing" third party app stores...

"but muh freedom"
We're talking about stuff sold in the EU and its availability in the EU.
Our land, our laws, if you want to make business here.
(Not perfect at all, still better than letting foreign corporations decide according exclusively to what's more profitable)

 

[rgwebb]

When the US dials back their level of commitment to NATO, European governments will have something real to worry about (the ever present Russian imperial ambitions) instead of tilting at windmills (US tech).

 

[CapitalIdea]

For some things the EU is clearly pushing too far, but this is very fair. There's been a single market for literally decades; apple still feels the need to geoblock. I bought a Vision Pro 50 miles from my house just across the border, and can't use any of my apple accounts on it because Music and TV geoblock... it's ridiculous

It’s been a single market internally, but it’s still a patchwork of various national laws. Just look at how their discrimination laws vary and how even a couple years ago if you crossed a border within the EU some of your parents rights dissolved.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Also why is Apple News not available in the EU yet?

If I had to guess, licensing restrictions. If Apple doesn’t have worldwide rights for the content on Apple News, they can’t distribute it worldwide.

 

[CarAnalogy]

European Union has notified Apple that it may be violating EU anti-geo-blocking regulations

I don't think I've ever heard so many proclamations based on questionable rules from a Western Democracy before.

After reading the article, this seems more like the EU's core problem than Apple's problem. Are countries in the EU separate or not? How is a company supposed to navigate the mishmash of individual laws and overriding, possibly conflicting EU law?

 

[koil]

Does this mean we (in the EU) will get Apple Intelligence sooner? 😄

No, it only means that Apple can't differentiate between different countries within the EU.

The EU can't mandate that Apple implements feature X for us, they can only tell Apple when any features they do implement are in breach of EU law.

 

[d686546s]

The investigation found that the App Store does not allow users to download apps available in other EU countries

Isn't this up for the developer to enable? What does Apple got to do with that

I'd imagine the issue is that the App Store enables certain country-specific segmentation in the first place, which is a design decision. By contrast, developers couldn't make an app available in New York and California but not in Texas and Mississippi.

Not taking a position here, just trying to tease out what Apple's role here is.

 

[840quadra]

It is not a mandatory feature. The publishers of the app simply can tick the geoblocking box or not. Far too much do it, just because they can. It is indeed stupid, to prohibit users do download a shopping app from a foreign country, just because they want to sell their stuff at higher prices in a different country...

But it is a good move: Not letting me download Apple VisionPro apps in a country, that does not sell the VisionPro yet ist utterly stupid. I can buy the VisionPro in another country and bring it home in a not yet allowed country.

It is not always greed.

What if they don't have shipping deals, or, license to sell their products in an EU market? There are forms of tech (radios for instance) that sometimes require specific licenses or regulatory clearance to be sold in some areas.

If I was selling a product that is legal in the States (or another market), but prohibited (or simply not viable) in the EU, I absolutely would click that box to disable.

Would you make such a distinction if it was the USA? The EU is a single market too.

Can you even decide to only release your app in certain states of the US and not others? Genuine question as I don't know.

I am specifically talking about single markets in my post.

If I am in the single market (the US) why would I be required to sell to the EU? The reverse is also my question. From apps, store products, to automobiles, there are good reasons that some products, services, or otherwise aren't available globally.

 

[d686546s]

I am not 100% sure what is going on here. How can the EU enforce 3rd party developers, content creators and distribution companies to license their work in their market?

If I don't license (or want to release )my software, content, or media in a given country, union or market, am I subject to an EU fine now?

I suspect in some ways if you want to sell in the EU you you are free to license your software, content or media in a way that is compliant with EU rules on access across member states or not. As I said in a previous comment, you probably couldn't do this in the US on a state by state basis either.

Some developers may prefer to handle this differently across member states, but that doesn't mean that they can where single market rules say otherwise.

This is off the cuff and with no skin in the game, btw, I'm just saying this is an area where a more American view of 27 individual countries and the EU view of how the single market operates seems to clash.

 

[Plutonius]

For Apple, this may be one step too far.

It may not being reported but, is the EU lately targeting other corporations other than Apple ?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Either way, Apple shouldn't be forced to make something available in a country they don't want to.

I doubt it’s Apple, it’s likely the developers. They don’t want people signing up for services in “cheap” countries, and then use those services in France, Spain, Germany, etc. So, those developers don’t let folks do that. This is not something they even need to drag Apple into, just talk to your own darn member states. They’ll tell you what’s up.

 

[0815]

sooo, being a German living in the USA: Why are ARD and ZDF (the public broadcast stations in Germany) allowed to geo-block their content? Some content is blocked, some is not. Why can't I watch everything they offer? ... there are ways around it using VPN, but then, if geo blocking is not allowed in the EU why are German TV stations allowed to do it?

 

[Expos of 1969]

Also why is Apple News not available in the EU yet?

Good question but from what I have seen posted by some users, we are lucky to not have it.

 

[SmugMaverick]

In UK we don't have Apple Cash, should Apple be forced to release it here? No, because they don't want to and thats it.

This seems like the EU are just pissed that they don't have Apple Intelligence. I get it, its a cool feature they naturally want but if they keep imposing rules on digital stuff, then releases will naturally be slower while they are made compliant, or withheld entirely because Apple don't want the hassle.

Either way, Apple shouldn't be forced to make something available in a country they don't want to.

What on earth are you talking about.

Do you honestly think anyone really cares about AI coming later in the EU 🤣

Please just stop, Apple NEED the EU because its their 3rd biggest market so just take a step back from the cool aid.

 

[d686546s]

Before everything here goes as ballistic as things usually do when it comes to anything Apple and EU, keep in mind that nothing here has any impact on how Apple or anyone else can do business in the US or in any place that isn't the EU.

This only affects things happening in the EU in the EU's single market and between EU member states. No one is forcing anyone to sell anything in the EU, but if you do, you have to follow EU rules for the part of your business that happens in the EU.

That's all there is to it.

 

[840quadra]

I suspect in some ways if you want to sell in the EU you you are free to license your software, content or media in a way that is compliant with EU rules on access across member states or not. As I said in a previous comment, you probably couldn't do this in the US on a state by state basis either.

Some developers may prefer to handle this differently across member states, but that doesn't mean that they can where single market rules say otherwise.

This is off the cuff and with no skin in the game, btw, I'm just saying this is an area where a more American view of 27 individual countries and the EU view of how the single market operates seems to clash.

That makes a bit more sense and I understand now (wow I am slow this late morning ) . The regulation relates to singling out specific EU member nations, not the entire EU.

That said, there are plenty of examples in the US where some products or services are illegal across state lines. California is the best example of this, but other states like Vermont, and a smattering of others ban specific products, services or ETC due to regulatory reasons of their own.

 

[j26]

...If I am in the single market (the US) why would I be required to sell to the EU? The reverse is also my question. From apps, store products, to automobiles, there are good reasons that some products, services, or otherwise aren't available globally.

I don't believe that's the issue here. It's about making an app that is available in one EU state available to all EU states - i.e. stop treating the EU as a collection of markets but as one market.
It doesn't impinge on the right to make an app just for the USA (or China, or Mozambique for that matter). It's just saying if it's available in France, it should also be available in all 27 states as they are part of the same market.