Leaked EU Document Could Spell Major Changes for App Store, Messages, FaceTime, Browsers, and Siri

[SirusB1]

Your argument basically is the government can not regulate unless it is a safety and public health issue. I am sure corporations would love those limits so they can do everything they want without any limits by arguing that it is not a safety or public health issue.

Versus a government that would love to be able to do anything they want without any limits by arguing it IS a safety or public health issue?

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Again I have to bring up the hugely successful macOS which allows third party stores and sideloading. Weirdly the earth is still here as is the Mac in perfect working order.

Your analogy about Ford is very flawed. The government does mandate cars have seatbelts and companies like Ford fought against those kind of regulations based on all kinds of reasons from cost to design and appearance.

The government of the EU also has laws about how the front bonnets of vehicles are shaped again for public safety. They also have rules about size and weight, emissions, the materials the vehicle can use (for instance the banning of lead based paints).

The car is probably the most regulated consumer product you can purchase with literally thousands of rules that automakers must adhere to and not just for public safety but also for competition reasons.

MacOS is hardly "hugely" successful. Maybe 8% of the market.

 

[genovelle]

Just because two parties consent to a transaction doesn't make it legal. Particularly when there is a massive power disparity between the two parties.

I've had many massive, in-depth conversations on this topic in this forum already. If you have a point, feel free to make one.

When you buy a device that is not even the most popular one and know how it works, the person with the power is the consumer. The misuse of power is for the EU to decide to break our preferred system that we as consumers knowing chose and have thousands invested in. I’m angry ?

 

[Wildkraut]

Looking forward to sideload Adobe Flash Player!
Because we can! ?

 

[ric22]

Some of this is good, some of this is bad, or poorly thought through.

 

[guerro]

Can you translate your idea in something understandable ?

I will try...

"Fascism is a slippery slope."

 

[Analog Kid]

I just wish they had reined in some of the crazy parts, it makes them look silly when they want to require (for example) third party voice assistants because that will require a fundamental rethink in the way Apps are allowed to communicate on iOS and/or require Apple to build some sort of universal voice assistant API.

The crazy parts are the whole purpose. There are no major EU smartphone companies, but there are lots of little software companies. The EU is trying to force foreign businesses to make every piece interchangable with something the EU can produce. They don't care about the user experience or engineering efficiencies or broader market forces because none of that affects their local economies. It's a welfare program for EU startups.

 

[genovelle]

can't see anything wrong with any of that. apple has enjoyed control for far too long. they need to be brough back down to earth. good on the EU.

Control of their own systems. Customers have options. Buy something else. People suck

 

[Stunning_Sense4712]

It would be nice being able to install a third party browser on iOS/iPADOS without Apple intentionally sabotaging it so you have a worse experience compared to Safari.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Every assistant does the same, Apple does less the Amazon or Google. But hey go ahead and download joes assistant app and see how well that works out

The point is its not going to work out. It's going to cause all kinds of problems later down the line. The EU was more interested in looking important than helping people.

 

[AdonisSMU]

It would be nice being able to install a third party browser on iOS/iPADOS without Apple intentionally sabotaging it so you have a worse experience compared to Safari.

It's not sabotaged. Third parties simply aren't going to get complete access to the underlying system the way native apps are by default. That's just the way it is. Third party browsers in iOS are simply Safari Skins anyway. Phones require higher level of security than traditional computers given the nature of what is stored on them...

 

[Wildkraut]

It would be nice being able to install a third party browser on iOS/iPADOS without Apple intentionally sabotaging it so you have a worse experience compared to Safari.

Yep, looking forward to a decent firewall, and Firefox with Gecko engine and uBlock Origin and Decentral Eyes, and Emulators, and a decent Xbox Cloud Client.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Control of their own systems. Customers have options. Buy something else. People suck

The crazy parts are the whole purpose. There are no major EU smartphone companies, but there are lots of little software companies. The EU is trying to force foreign businesses to make every piece interchangable with something the EU can produce. They don't care about the user experience or engineering efficiencies or broader market forces because none of that affects their local economies. It's a welfare program for EU startups.

This is exactly what's going on. This is not about consumer protection, this is about business protection in the EU. 27 countries in the EU only 5 bigger than California., combine Texas and California and that drop to 0. Apple does not need to destroy the iPhone just so it appeases a few EU politicians and businessmen

 

[Stunning_Sense4712]

It's not sabotaged. Third parties simply aren't going to get complete access to the underlying system the way native apps are by default. That's just the way it is. Third party Browsers in iOS are simply Safari Skins anyway.

It is Sabotaged. When I try to watch videos it does not allow me to use full screen mode which works just fine on Safari but not on any other third party browser.

 

[vipergts2207]

Keep in mind that such regulations further stifle innovation especially when a better tech than USB-C comes along.

And yet for some reason Apple insists on using an embarrassingly slow transfer protocol that's 22 years old. But sure, government is the roadblock on that one.

 

[russell_314]

Governments force automakers to install features all the time, from ABS to three-point seatbelts, airbags, child-proof door locks, emissions standards, etc; drivers are required to use snow-tires or install chains in many jurisdictions, others require safety-kits, spare tires, high-vis vests, etc. Considering four-wheel drive is a safety advantage, it’s pretty far from outlandish to imagine a government requiring it on new cars sold sometime in the future, just like any-lock brakes went from an add-on feature to requirement in many jurisdictions. We already live in the world you so fear, and it seems automakers have survived just fine.

Comparing seat belts being required in cars so people aren't decapitated going through the windshield isn't the same as forcing sideloading on a phone...

It's not so much having the choice to sideload but being forced to choose it that is the problem. If I wanted that I could have bought that. It's already available. I want the choice to buy a product that doesn't feature sideloading...

 

[turbineseaplane]

"Just pull out of the EU! Screw 'em Apple!!"

What business minds we have around here..

 

[Wildkraut]

"Just pull out of the EU! Screw 'em Apple!!"

What business minds we have around here..

Minds? ?

 

[russell_314]

It is Sabotaged. When I try to watch videos it does not allow me to use full screen mode which works just fine on Safari but not on any other third party browser.

Is Apple personally sabotaging your phone? Maybe Tim Apple saw your posts here? He hasn't targeted my phone yet... Full screen still works 😅

 

[vipergts2207]

The crazy parts are the whole purpose. There are no major EU smartphone companies, but there are lots of little software companies. The EU is trying to force foreign businesses to make every piece interchangable with something the EU can produce. They don't care about the user experience or engineering efficiencies or broader market forces because none of that affects their local economies. It's a welfare program for EU startups.

What will be your made-up reason for the legislation that's being written in the U.S.? And other countries? Everybody is wrong except Apple apparently.

 

[russell_314]

Apple should buy the government ?

Corporations don't buy governments... They pay (buy) politicians to do what they want them to do. Both sides of this have bought plenty of politicians

 

[1284814]

I used to be against side loading until I got into the open software space. It’s both a responsibility and a gift.

 

[TIMO_737]

Welcome to the EU-SSR. Ashamed to live in this more and more 'China'-style govenment controlling mindset continent. Leave my apple devices and services alone you over-paid good for nothing bureaucrats.

 

[Analog Kid]

Sounds like they want to dictate Apple's iOS, Apple shouldn't stand for this an just remove itself fro the EU

EU: "You can install any OS you want, as long as it's Android".

 

[d686546s]

Massive government overreach. Play hardball Apple and threaten to pull out of the EU. They need you more than you need them.

What do you think is more likely, that consumers in the EU will pivot to Android devices or that Apple will find another market of ~450m of among the richest consumers on Earth within a timescale that matters to shareholders?

A company driven by privacy and security that manages to operate compliantly in China will find a way to comply with the DMA.

I also imagine that some here think they are particularly clever by suggesting an iPhone stripped of everything -- that will surely show the horrible EU who's boss. Well, if it weren't for the annoying fact that Apple still wants those € to flow their way and that only works if you sell a compelling product. If Apple is childishly petty, I'm certain Samsung is more than happy to help out.