Tile Claims Apple's Anticompetitive Behavior Has 'Gotten Worse, Not Better'

[MacRumors]

Apple's anticompetitive behaviors have gotten worse over the course of the last few months rather than better, Tile claimed in a congressional panel today, reports Reuters.

Executives from Tile, PopSockets, Sonos, and Basecamp in January testified in front of a congressional hearing in an ongoing antitrust inquiry launched by the U.S. government against tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google.

Tile at the time complained about Location Services changes implemented in iOS 13 that encouraged customers not to use always-on location tracking by requiring them to set a toggle in "deep, hard-to-find smartphone settings."

To resolve the dispute, Apple said that it was working on an option that would allow third-party developers to enable "Always Allow" tracking features right when an app is installed, but Tile today said that it is not satisfied with Apple's actions since the original congressional meeting.

"Despite Apple's multiple promises to reinstate 'Always Allow' background permissions option for third party apps' geolocation services, Apple has not yet done so," Tile said. Always-on location access is crucial for the Tile app's ability to locate nearby Tile hardware.

Tile also said that it appears Apple is working on a hardware product that will be added to the Find My app, referencing AirTags rumors. There is evidence that Apple is developing small, Bluetooth-enabled tracking tags that will be able to be attached to wallets, keys, and other items to allow them to be located in the Find My app.

AirTags will directly compete with Tile's Bluetooth tracking tags, which serve a similar function, but will have an edge because they'll be integrated right into the Find My app used by every iPhone, iPad, and Mac owner.

Apple opted not to comment on what Tile had to say, but pointed Reuters to its previous statement made in January.

Apple builds its hardware, software, and system level apps to protect user privacy and provide the best products and ecosystem in the world. Apple has not built a business model around knowing a customer's location or the location of their device.

When setting up a new device users can choose to turn on Location Services to help find a lost or misplaced device with ?Find My? ?iPhone?, an app that users have come to rely on since 2010. Customers have control over their location data, including the location of their device. If a user doesn't want to enable these features, there's a clear, easy to understand setting where they can choose exactly which location services they want enabled or disabled.

In regard to third-party apps, we created the App Store with two goals in mind: that it be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for developers. We continually work with developers and take their feedback on how to help protect user privacy while also providing the tools developers need to make the best app experiences.

We're currently working with developers interested in enabling the "Always Allow" functionality to enable that feature at the time of setup in a future software update.

Apple, along with other tech companies, continues to be under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission, and attorneys general from dozens of states.

Article Link: Tile Claims Apple's Anticompetitive Behavior Has 'Gotten Worse, Not Better'

 

[zorinlynx]

Buying out Dark Sky and killing the Android version and eventually the API is another example.

I wouldn't even mind so much if they at least kept non-Apple platforms around.

 

[jcshas]

I get the feeling this won’t end well for Tile.

 

[az431]

What else would they say?
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Buying out Dark Sky and killing the Android version and eventually the API is another example.

I wouldn't even mind so much if they at least kept non-Apple platforms around.

Give it a rest. There are a hundred other weather apps and APIs on the planet. 99.9% of the planet never heard of Dark Sky until Apple bought it.

 

[mukiex]

I love my Apple hardware, but I honestly hope they lose the ever-loving **** out of this case. They've left too much of a ****ing graveyard of companies by basically stealing their ideas outright and then effectively locking them out of the market they built via either pricing or kneecaping their featureset.

We really need a legitimate option for fully-third-party software. This arrangement where Apple markets their iOS devices like computers but then manages their software ecosystem like video game consoles isn't a great arrangement for anyone involved but Apple.

 

[MacLawyer]

I love my Apple hardware, but I honestly hope they lose the ever-loving **** out of this case. They've left too much of a ****ing graveyard of companies by basically stealing their ideas outright and then effectively locking them out of the market they built via either pricing or kneecaping their featureset.

We really need a legitimate option for fully-third-party software. This arrangement where Apple markets their iOS devices like computers but then manages their software ecosystem like video game consoles isn't a great arrangement for anyone involved but Apple.

I disagree, at least as far as competing with Tile. I'm a (was) a Tile user and it absolutely sucks.

 

[FightTheFuture]

I love my Apple hardware, but I honestly hope they lose the ever-loving **** out of this case.

Acquisitions have been happening for decades in tech. Look at Word Lens. This is an opportunity for Tile to double down and make something innovative, different or better than what they already do.

 

[dannyyankou]

Alternate headline: Company complains that competition and a free market will lead to them losing business

 

[unibility]

Tile if you truly feel this way then produce better products. Remember competition drives innovation.

 

[Jimmy James]

As privacy rights are imploding our personal privacy will become the most important consideration. Apple is best positioned for that near certain future.

 

[s1m]

But Apple do not compete with Tile.

 

[cmaier]

Buying out Dark Sky and killing the Android version and eventually the API is another example.

I wouldn't even mind so much if they at least kept non-Apple platforms around.

How is NOT COMPETING in the android market anti-competitive? I’m pretty sure all the competing android weather apps would strongly disagree with your logic.

 

[rjp1]

Acquisitions have been happening for decades in tech. Look at Word Lens. This is an opportunity for Tile to double down and make something innovative, different or better than what they already do.

So that Apple can copy it too?

 

[now i see it]

if someone is so daring as to piggy back on the iPhone's success, they'd better have a Plan B when Apple copies your idea and pushes you out of business. It has happened numerous times over the years. If Apple really likes your product- you're pretty much screwed.

 

[Glavin]

Tile is jealous that someone competent has entered their space.

 

[ersan191]

Tile still complaining about a product that hasn't even been released I see.

Continue throwing a temper tantrum instead of improving your product guys.

 

[mocciat]

I used to love Tile but the reliability has been spotty at best. I can initiate beeping of a tile it won't connect and I eventually find it under papers 2 feet away from me.

 

[glowplug]

If Tile wants to make a better product no one is stopping them. But they have spent years with zero innovation, coasting on their disposable “toner cartridge” business model.

 

[ReanimationLP]

Not gonna lie, the fact this was taken out is pretty damn annoying to me.

Part of my job involves operating a commercial vehicle. I have an iPad Air2 that has LTE connectivity that runs one application called GeoTab for electronic driver logs.

It constantly asks me do I want to allow the software to know the location :|

 

[mukiex]

"Tile should make a better device"

Exactly how are they gonna do this when the ability to locate devices is entirely dependent on a user mesh network that Apple no longer allows to exist? I guarantee you, when Apple's bluetooth tag comes out, it's going to work, 100%, the same way Tile's does, in that users' iOS devices anonymously update the location info for the Apple tag the way the Tile app did in prior years.

Maybe Apple will actually resolve this issue. They could have an update in iOS 14 that allows apps to share non-user location data, by requiring a user data disconnect at the API level and also. User-paired bluetooth devices cannot be synced to their servers, but non-user-paired bluetooth devices with their own Vendor ID can. I really doubt Apple will go through the trouble, though.

But at the end of the day, the App Store walled garden problem will still be there. I'm 100% okay with people deciding that Apple's App Store is where 100% of their software purchases should go; I just wish that was a choice they were making and not one Apple was making for them.

 

[sinoka56]

Tile if you truly feel this way then produce better products. Remember competition drives innovation.

How can other companies compete with Apple products that violate their own app store terms? Imagine the Apple tags doesn't need to request for Always On Location Tracking (every few days or forever).

Having a notification ad for Apple Music which violates the app store rules. https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/18/18229492/apple-music-push-notifications-advertising
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[cmaier]

How can other companies compete with Apple products that violate their own app store terms?

Apple products don’t violate their own app store terms, because Apple doesn’t need to agree to those terms.

 

[sinoka56]

Apple products don’t violate their own app store terms, because Apple doesn’t need to agree to those terms.

Thus the anti-competitive claim.

 

[mannyvel]

But at the end of the day, the App Store walled garden problem will still be there. I'm 100% okay with people deciding that Apple's App Store is where 100% of their software purchases should go; I just wish that was a choice they were making and not one Apple was making for them.

You're making an assumption that's incorrect: that the walled garden is a problem. If it was a problem people would be using an alternate phone, like Android.

If you're crying out for an alternate app store, use Android. It's not hard. Even I have a couple of Android phones. Go ahead and jump out of the play store.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I get the feeling this won’t end well for Tile.

yeah kinda sounds like Tile is getting butt hurt over potential competition va just working with Apple and revising their own business model, market and software as a service offering.

HP has the DragonFly using Tile To help locate the laptop. But Tile is a locale service it should be a global type gps service and they should have a solid encryption for business lockout and recovery for the entire motherboard not just the storage or laptop itself.