ACCC saw the free money grab by everyone else so they decided they might as well pile on.
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Australia Opens Antitrust Inquiry Into Apple's App Store
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This is very laughable. How long has the app store been around? How many interactions has Apple or Google had with world governments? They only "now" want to take a deeper dive into this? I mean, I guess they have been busy using it up for the past 10 years or so to really have the time to look closer at it. But, seriously. This is very laughable. The will find nothing wrong. Or rather, nothing that they can do anything about other than to suggest. They will not be able to change what any company charges. Any company can just pick up and move on from that country. And you will leave millions without that companies services. All for what? A lower rate? Didn't Steve go to love him Jobs already state what that rate was going to be like 10 years ago? 70/30 cut. Retail was like 45/55. In favor of the STORE.
If anyone would have should have might have had a problem with that. Guess what, you had FULL KNOWLEDGE of what that cost was going to be. FULL before it ever became big. Which in Apple's universe, everyone on the outside always believe it will be DOOM and GLOOM. So, many must have said, no biggie. They will fail anyway. So that rate isn't going to matter.
If anyone would have should have might have had a problem with that. Guess what, you had FULL KNOWLEDGE of what that cost was going to be. FULL before it ever became big. Which in Apple's universe, everyone on the outside always believe it will be DOOM and GLOOM. So, many must have said, no biggie. They will fail anyway. So that rate isn't going to matter.
We live in a world where success gets punished. The trouble with governments is that most of them are led by people who are terrible at making a country financially successful, so what do they do? They try plugging in the holes through questionable methods like these where they suddenly fine companies for something they previously didn't care about. But check how many of them have iPads all over the house, iPhones in their pockets and Apple watches on their wrists... Hypocrites.
That’s like saying viruses can’t hurt Windows because of UAC. The minute you allow unsigned apps access to the OS the guardrails are completely broken. Facebook wants ads and tracking they can write their own APIs that bypass Apples. Apps already get pulled today for using APIs they shouldn’t. That vetting process goes out the window and you have another insecure OS just like the rest.
The West is committing social, economic and industrial suicide. Why create new products and companies when the state regulates everything and robs those who will achieve success? Better to do nothing and get a food stamp.
The ultimate end would be to not let Apple, Sony, MS, Nintendo, Epic, or anyone else with an app store from preventing others from selling on it on their own terms.
Ultimately, Apple would just have to chnage its fee structure, and unbundle charges from the 30% so developers would pay per download, for app review, hosting, etc.; which would hurt small developers who can't afford upfront fees with no assurance of sales.
Apple, for all the complaining about the 30% fee, significantly lowered the barrier to entry for developers who want to reach a large and lucrative user base, by significantly increasing the cut developers get while reducing the initial costs to nearly zero for going to market. Apple could even let others run a store but require any apps to be signed by Apple, for a fee, of course; or impose significant boxing on unsigned apps to help keep iOS more secure.
And the consumers wouldn't benefit in the end - anyone really think Epic would lower it's prices if Apple reduced its cut?
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Actually, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is highly reputable for its authenticity and fairness. If any random person in Australia has a dispute regarding their products, they can make a FREE complaint to the ACCC and the costs of the investigation fall on the business who had the complaint issued against them. No court-cases, a swift and fair outcome for both businesses and consumers.
The ACCC is almost a national treasure.
I agree.
I'm an Australian, and I disagree with you.
I think you misunderstand an ACCC investigation as "the ACCC have already decided an outcome, and it's bad for Apple and Google".
That's not the case at all, and not the job of the ACCC either. Their job is purely to ensure that any market within Australia does not have a monopoly, price-inflations, or anything that is disadvantageous to the consumers (or businesses) in the long-term. They're even responsible for preventing companies from selling their products at suspiciously low prices (which can also be anti-competitive).
They will collect all the data available in a thorough investigation and predict economical and consumer outcomes based on the current foreseeable patterns and make an appropriate recommendation based on their findings.
It's as fair as fair can be.
My only disappointment is that they're starting this investigation in 2020 and not 5 years ago.
Investigating anti-trust matters where anti-trust behavior exists? Who'd a thunk it!
On a side note, the DOJ leaked an investigation into Google a few days ago... my money is on the DOJ having an investigation into Apple as well. Totally agree with some of the replies on here, Apple needs to get ahead of this so they can dictate favorable terms.
On a side note, the DOJ leaked an investigation into Google a few days ago... my money is on the DOJ having an investigation into Apple as well. Totally agree with some of the replies on here, Apple needs to get ahead of this so they can dictate favorable terms.
EXACTLY!!! Why are so many people blind to this monopoly?!!!
such amazing legal scholars in here. /s
between people who clearly have no understanding of the difference between success and anti competitive behavior...
or
people who don't understand if they are given options, they don't have to use the other options... oh no, i'm going to have to install antivirus and slow my phone down..... just don't sideload then, there you go, problem solved.
then again, maybe you need Anti Virus, Apple seems committed to occasionally passing malware
between people who clearly have no understanding of the difference between success and anti competitive behavior...
or
people who don't understand if they are given options, they don't have to use the other options... oh no, i'm going to have to install antivirus and slow my phone down..... just don't sideload then, there you go, problem solved.
then again, maybe you need Anti Virus, Apple seems committed to occasionally passing malware
I said make it harder, not impossible. And I trust Apple over Microsoft or Google for security, I think they could figure something out if the need arises.
That's not how the ACCC works. They don't make a profit. The money they do seize is redistributed to the victims of the "crime" and only those victims can claim that money… not even the Government can spend it.
I think there’s a South Park episode about apple putting ridiculous things in their TOS. It’s called Humancentipad and I laughed. A lot.
Just because you like a monopoly doesn’t mean it is legal and should be forced down everybody else’s throats.
Not all contracts are enforceable, nor all contracts are valid. How many developers have read the contract is irrelevant: only a court of law can decide whether the contract is enforceable, unenforceable or void.
Apple has already been accused of, and found guilt of anticompetitive practices. See ebook case. What makes you think they are saints when it comes to this too?
There might be some tweaks but I do expect most of the business model to remain intact.
Do they get to cover the expenses incurred before the redistribution happens?
News Alert: Company signs agreement to place their product(s) and payment structures inside other company store willingly.
I have nothing but utter contempt for the ACCC.
it and its CEO Sims are just bandwagoning to seem hip with their fellow bureaucratic elites overseas.
Meanwhile, no matter how many times the unwashed hordes provide evidence of price jacking at eBay’s so called sales, for example, the ACCC does nothing.
Well, maybe they could launch their 5,001th inquiry into fuel prices. Might be too soon though, they usually save that up for when their budget comes up for review. How else to show they are fighting for the little guy?
Contemptible parasites.
it and its CEO Sims are just bandwagoning to seem hip with their fellow bureaucratic elites overseas.
Meanwhile, no matter how many times the unwashed hordes provide evidence of price jacking at eBay’s so called sales, for example, the ACCC does nothing.
Well, maybe they could launch their 5,001th inquiry into fuel prices. Might be too soon though, they usually save that up for when their budget comes up for review. How else to show they are fighting for the little guy?
Contemptible parasites.
I think Australia did put into law forcing backdoors to bypass encryption. They definitely know technologies well...
tell that to Dictator Dan. Nothing happens in benighted danistan without his say so. Don’t violate curfews, don’t be seen in groups, don't travel more than 5 kms from your home without the proper papers. Publish mean things about the government and face arrest.
Or Dan will sic his VicPol stasi onto you, even if you are pregnant woman in your home in pink flannelette pyjamas or a little old lady sitting on a park bench.
The Aussie Larrikan suspicious of authority is dead. Buggered. Stone dead. Cowering in the face of real fascism, not the chimera the kiddies like to protest about. But don’t worry, it’s only “temporary” and for your own good.
What monopoly are you talking about? Because the last I looked there was no monopoly.