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Pretty staggering so many Americans think that a choice between just two operating system vendors is a healthy market situation and is impossible to abuse (ignoring the many examples of yore where duopolies became collusion buddies to cement their hegemony).

You’d think that would be taught in business 101, no?
What’s preventing another OS vendor from rising up and competing?
 
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No. Stop. Please. I’m shaking you to wake up. The inhibition of consumer choice thing is something that only Americans support because of a weird form of Stockholm Syndrome. There’s no freedom in proprietary restrictions run amuck, and they use that psychology against us here constantly.

The EU doesn’t make all the right choices, but any advancements in consumer protection in modern times (within a technology/privacy context) almost exclusively come from the EU and trickle down to the US. And protections usually only come here because it merely costs corporations more to tailor the screwing-over just to us. Americans embarrassingly celebrate corporations making consumers eat dirt all while we get gaslit into defending them based on free market ideals. It explains just about every hopelessly broken policy we have in some form or another. Think cell phone companies and ridiculous phone taxes, think going to Las Vegas and paying $14.99 for the hotel with a $42 resort fee and $15 in taxes. Or, my personal favorite, the ad saying $1 bus fares* in huge print.
You have choice. Use Android. What you seem to believe is that instead of accepting responsibility for your choice, you want to run to bureaucrats to force companies to do what you want.
Crap like this just doesn’t fly in Europe. Americans tolerate it, complain about it, but ultimately do nothing. Support opening everything unless there is a white paper articulating why it MUSTN’T be.
Well then use tech built by your own tech giants and... oh wait, you don't have any. I wonder why that is.
Pretty staggering so many Americans think that a choice between just two operating system vendors is a healthy market situation and is impossible to abuse (ignoring the many examples of yore where duopolies became collusion buddies to cement their hegemony).

You’d think that would be taught in business 101, no?
Think about why both choices are American and why there's no viable 3rd option from anywhere in the EU. Go ahead.. think about why virtually all major tech starts here rather than in an environment that seems to discourage raw innovation and then strangle it. Got it yet?

EU folk - quit bitching about us and ask yourselves why a bloc of countries with just as many people as us (more, actually) and which is on aggregate just as rich has no horse in this race. Maybe, instead of complaining about our companies, you should ask why your societies have failed utterly to produce a tech giant - just one - that can compete with Apple and Google here.
 
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They‘re not leveraging Wi-Fi functionality for market share and revenue (in an anticompetitive manner) as they’re doing with NFC and Apple Pay.

But yes, if Apple - conceivably - leveraged their installed user/device base to charge internet access providers a 15% or 30% share of internet access fees (by the minute/megabyte or month) through that Wi-Fi chip, then such regulation should be put in place.

In other words: Once Apple demands a cut of internet access provider’s fees for internet access over Wi-Fi, then I‘m all for such regulation. And so will be the EU, I guess.
It sounds like you’re not concerned with functionality per se so much as how Apple profits from it. That explains a lot.
 
Well, Apple can exists ONLY, because the EU is an open market. the EU could have well said: "Hmm, no, we don't want Apple".
Their regulations and new rules are making it effectively act the same as saying "we don't want Apple".
Apple is able to sell iPhone and computer ONLY because there are laws that are enforcing some companies to grant fair license.
So..?
Otherwise, Apple would have never had the right to sell a device that uses Wifi, or bluetooth or Mobile Networks. Nokia could have said: "Our material is allowing only Nokias on the cellular network, and bam, like there is only Apple that has access to NFC on iPhone, only Nokia would have had phone connected to a cellular network"
So does that mean Apple has no right to use licensed tech how they wish to on the devices they make? Are we not allowed to pay for something then use it as we wish? I don't believe there is a rule that states "if you use NFC, you have to let anyone else use it that wants to".
The iPhone would have been nothing without developers.
Really? So, the developers had apps waiting for Apple to make an iPhone? Chicken/EGG. Apple made the iPhone. Then people bought it. Then Apple said we will create an SDK for developers to create first party apps, and here are the tools to do so, and its' costs and structure for selling on our store. Developers came LAST.
The fact that it had a camera, WIFI, a touch screen iPod, a PHONE, and a better web experience on a mobile device may have had more to do with Apples success than any one developers app.
Only thanks to those devs, Apple made hundreds of billions
SO DID DEVELOPERS! They made BILLIONS TOO!
In the opposite, devs would have had a job anyway. Worst case, just works to create Android apps.
And Google would make more hundreds of billions. And those developers would still pay the 30% CUT.
Apple is just totally hypocrite. When something protects them from others and allow them to make money, it is good. When something protect others from them, it is something scandalous.
Every business operates for a profit and to return value to its shareholders. "IF" anything also aligns for you, me, us. Call it a bonus. They didn't break any rules (except these made up on the spot ones by the EU) to be in any trouble.
They are the alternative to Google Android. They are the other choice. You don't have another option if Apple walks away from the EU. Nokia can't save you anymore than Microsoft save them.

These laws the EU are coming up with basically means, you can't build anything special. Nothing unique. Make it open from the start. Good luck with that EU.
 
Lets straighten this up before we end up with another 40-page 'discussion' about how the EU is overreaching and bloated capitalistic monopolies are somehow interested in the wellbeing of their users rather than totalitarian control of their purchases:

1. Android has had just as many, or a lack thereof, exploits, security holes and hacks as iOS.

2. Let go of your fear of sideloading. Its would require you to toggle an on/off as on Android. You don't want to bother? It will never affect you.

3. Apple blocking NFC payments is ludicrous when Google Pay is just as secure and Android also has Samsung Pay, Paypal, Venmo etc available who also have no issues.

4. Seriously, stop listening to Apple's totalitarian propaganda on these issues. Just because Apple will inevitably have to make moves in these areas doesn't weaken your phone, your privacy or any of the hundreds of positive reasons you chose Apple.

4a. You use websites, open technologies and protocols like email, sms and Bluetooth and desktop machines that were not developed by Apple all the time, do not use their API's and are not controlled by them all the time, every single day. Sometimes you do this without thinking about it.

5. This isn't just the EU. The USA, Japan, South Korea and other markets will continue to push back against Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and every other tech giant.

6. Apple won't quit the EU. This is a dumb suggestion anyway (are they going to quit every principality that tries to litigate them? The only place they will be able to sell devices is the Moon) as the EU is the USA's largest trade investment partner.
 
Aren't the banks complaining about this just to avoid Apple's commission on payments via Apple Pay?

Of course they are. All the complaints made to the EU about Apple are about money that developers think they can make.
 
Says one of the biggest Apple defenders here ?
Pumpkin, you can be upset, but it doesn't change the fact that the EU has regulated the enterprises under it to the point of being highly uncompetitive in a global marketplace. As such, rather than admit they were wrong (and cede power) they're determined to regulate actually successful American enterprises and drag everyone down to their worthless level.

As I have previously said, a competent American administration would be threatening the EU with a trade holy war right now.
 
It sounds like you’re not concerned with functionality per se so much as how Apple profits from it. That explains a lot.
I‘m primarily concerned with if/how consumers benefit from it.

(Largely) tying down and locking beneficial functionality (NFC) to one company’s service isn’t very beneficial to consumers. Especially in the absence of a third/fourth/fifth relevant competing smartphone/app store platform.
 
In combination these two requests to open up the iPhone are rather disturbing.
Having uncontrolled side loaded apps on the iPhone and providing an open API to the payment system is really not what I consider a safe system I would trust with my credit cards or bank account information.
just stop with project fear
number 1 it would be your choice to download apps outside apple App Store as someone who knows people that own android phones they have never had malware. Number 2 you have answered your own question you don’t need to use the service if you don’t want nobody is going to force you to do it.
 
just stop with project fear
number 1 it would be your choice to download apps outside apple App Store as someone who knows people that own android phones they have never had malware. Number 2 you have answered your own question you don’t need to use the service if you don’t want nobody is going to force you to do it.

I wonder if these fear mongering people own a Mac. They must hate themselves for having such an opened device. Great post!
 
No. Stop. Please. I’m shaking you to wake up. The inhibition of consumer choice thing is something that only Americans support because of a weird form of Stockholm Syndrome. There’s no freedom in proprietary restrictions run amuck, and they use that psychology against us here constantly.

The EU doesn’t make all the right choices, but any advancements in consumer protection in modern times (within a technology/privacy context) almost exclusively come from the EU and trickle down to the US. And protections usually only come here because it merely costs corporations more to tailor the screwing-over just to us. Americans embarrassingly celebrate corporations making consumers eat dirt all while we get gaslit into defending them based on free market ideals. It explains just about every hopelessly broken policy we have in some form or another. Think cell phone companies and ridiculous phone taxes, think going to Las Vegas and paying $14.99 for the hotel with a $42 resort fee and $15 in taxes. Or, my personal favorite, the ad saying $1 bus fares* in huge print.





* $19.99 booking fee

Crap like this just doesn’t fly in Europe. Americans tolerate it, complain about it, but ultimately do nothing. Support opening everything unless there is a white paper articulating why it MUSTN’T be.
Uff, this is kind of uncomfortable to say but I'm not American and I am from an European country. Actually I have lived in a couple of European countries, so no reason to argue like this.
 
2. Let go of your fear of sideloading. Its would require you to toggle an on/off as on Android. You don't want to bother? It will never affect you.
The only way for this statement to be true is if forced side loading had ZERO effect on competition. In other words, iPhone customers that preferred downloads to be limited to the App Store would have access to the same apps at the same price as the 3rd party stores.

Yet the EU appears to believe that forced side loading WILL have an effect on competition. So that means your statement is false.
 
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Really? So, the developers had apps waiting for Apple to make an iPhone? Chicken/EGG. Apple made the iPhone. Then people bought it. Then Apple said we will create an SDK for developers to create first party apps, and here are the tools to do so, and its' costs and structure for selling on our store.
This isn't strictly true. The OG iPhone and iPod Touch had tons of neat apps and games you could easily install from Cydia for months before the App Store even launched. Jobs tried the 'web apps' crap and developers just built their own stuff anyway.

Apple likely looked at the numbers Cydia was pulling in and decided that (rightfully) controlling and monetising that system was a winner. It made it easier and safer for devs and customers but crucially it was Cydia that proved there was a thirst for a digital storefront.

Had Jailbreaking, sideloading and Cydia never appeared Apple may never have bothered with the App Store.
 
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I‘m primarily concerned with if/how consumers benefit from it.

(Largely) tying down and locking beneficial functionality (NFC) to one company’s service isn’t very beneficial to consumers. Especially in the absence of a third/fourth/fifth relevant competing smartphone/app store platform.
Ah. It seems like consumers would benefit if there were better wifi or whatever, whether it was leveraged for profit or market share or not, so it looks like you‘re modifying your standard now.
 
Apple should just pull out of the EU altogether. It’s been nothing but problems and will continue likely to be until this happens. Cook should make it happen.
i Sense project fear apple is a business don’t be silly the reason apple keep objecting to things like this it’s all about the money money money.
 
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The only way for this statement to be true is if forced side loading had ZERO effect on competition. In other words, iPhone customers that preferred downloads to be limited to the App Store would have access to the same apps at the same price as the 3rd party stores.

Yet the EU appears to believe that forced side loading WILL have an effect on competition. So that means your statement is false.
Its not about having an effect. 95% of Android users don't bother with anything other than the Play Store despite options like the Samsung Store being on a huge percentage of devices.

It is about giving customers the option.
 
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How about all the people that want to make iPhones into Androids, just actually buy Androids.

If it is such a huge number then will be win win.

People get the features that they want and can still do what want on there smartphone.

Apples market share goes down so EU loses interest.

iPhones are simply a smartphone in the smartphone market. They are not separate market to other smartphones.
 
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Ah. It seems like consumers would benefit if there were better wifi or whatever
Yes - but Wi-Fi has (virtually) always been an interoperable, widely accessible (for manufacturers) standard.
And that’s how it’s most beneficial for consumers (IMO).

Same thing with quick and/or wireless charging (where there’s also network effects coming into play, once you need to charge your phone in a public or someone else’s place). Proprietary standards are a mess. And not beneficial to consumers.
 
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How about not getting an iPhone if you don’t like the “closed garden”.

How exactly are you folks suffering now? Why are you using iPhone?

Sideloading on Android has been a dazzling success…for malware makers and pirates.

Also, NFC is open on Android.

Look at the “flourishing” NFC payment app ecosystem on Android. There isn’t any. Banks aren’t running their own payment apps.

Hundreds of EU banks support Apple Pay. They aren’t going back and start developing their own wallets.

With stuff like transit cards it gets incredibly clumsy if you have to switch from settings which wallet is “active” at any given time, or choose the wallet every time you do contactless.

It’s quite amusing that EU is effectively trying to dismantle the whole iPhone ecosystem (20% market share) and turn it into garbage.

We already have that: Android.

(Even more amusing is the fact that MR commenters seem to be largely in favour of destroying the iPhone ecosystem. So weird.)
You make a lot of assumptions. I only said what I said. I did not say at all I don’t like a closed garden or how the iPhone works. However, I’m pro user choice.
And Regulation in the EU will lead to it. there is no way out of it. Apple will never pull out of the EU market.
 
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Couldn't Apple implement something similar as it has done with macOS? There is a setting where I can choose to allow apps downloaded from App Store only or also from identified developers. As for NFC, maybe Apple could set a security standard for another company to achieve before it can be used.

Given the App Store has been around for 10 years, I suspect the vast majority would still stick with the Store as they are used to getting their apps there. Apple could advertise the advantages of only downloading from the App Store and most people would be convinced.
 
Keep using the only the apps you use now. No one is forcing you to sideload payment apps.

Like isn’t every company that makes these apps going to force people? Aren’t they going to abandon the app store? Why would they bother with submitting to apple anymore?
 
Its not about having an effect. 95% of Android users don't bother with anything other than the Play Store despite options like the Samsung Store being on a huge percentage of devices.

It is about giving customers the option.
Unfortunately, I think the EU is doing it to give billion/trillion dollar developers the option. Those are the companies (Epic, Spotify, Microsoft, Tinder) that filed the complaints, did the lobbying and testified for each other.
 
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