“Bureaucrats in Brussels” are unfairly challenging Apple’s closed ecosystem and denying users the “magical, innovative experience” that makes the firm unique, Apple said.
The so-called walled garden that combines Apple’s products and software ensures a safe and high quality experience for users, it says, but EU regulators counter that it unfairly shuts out rivals.
How dare they threatening our profits! Milking our mindless disciples is our god-given right!
Big player in market = no lock-in allowed because market distortion, simple as that.
This comment section, except it’s a multi-trillion dollar one.Can I play devil’s advocate here?
Apple’s closed ecosystem competes with Google and others’ “open” ecosystems, but they have different financial strategies. Google and others make money from almost monopolized services and data collection, actual price of their products is kinda low. Apple makes money from what their users pay inside their ecosystem.
Apple has a visible nickel-and-dime trap, most of big tech have those traps far more subtle.
So in absolutes their game is unfair, but in relatives they are by far neither the worst offenders nor the most dangerous.
Competitive financial strategies in tech are still a problem. We have FOSS projects pretending to have a way, but increasingly corporate-controlled, we have “good” companies which all went bankrupt 20 years ago, and we have “bad” companies which were too “good” then compared to now, and we have vultures like Google and Facebook. And we have Apple which was one of the “good” ones, but lines and graphs kinda didn’t work well, and then they found a way, and then another.
It might well be that with forward pricing, not implicit costs, Apple devices would cost 2x what they cost now, and other stuff as much as Apple devices.
And if regulations force them to do that, it’s fine, except the transient process matters. Kill Google and MS before killing Apple, if shorter.
Apple gets money from both their monopoly on user data and their high prices. That’s why it’s above Microsoft and Google in market cap, even though it doesn’t have nearly as much infrastructure and reach.
It designs its own hardware, though.
I’m not saying it’s a virtuous company, just a bit better than others (which is not cheap if you’re not oligarch’s blonde daughter).
It doesn’t. It designs part of the chips that go into their phones.
Google also designs chips that go into its phones, and Microsoft has also designed chips and security co processors that have gone into PCs.
(Of course, I’d never consider a Microsoft “security co processor” secure, nor an apple or google one).
[edit] I also do not see your point of apple being better (or more virtuous) than google or microsoft for designing their own hardware, for 2 different reasons:
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Currently Microsoft and Google have immense control over the software of PCs and phones. Apple wants to have full control of both the software and the hardware, and making their own hardware is a big step towards that goal. It means they’re restricting you (the user) from using the hardware you bought for your own purpose.
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Making custom hardware does not make a company more or less virtuous. Manufacturing/designing capabilities are just spending money in the respective industry. As I mentioned before, both Google and Microsoft have designed their own chips, and they also have designed chips for their servers. I would also argue that we should stop humanizing companies. They don’t have human traits, they’re not virtuous, they’re just there to take your money and go.
I would also argue that we should stop humanizing companies. They don’t have human traits, they’re not virtuous, they’re just there to take your money and go.
Agree on that.
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but EU regulators counter that it unfairly shuts out rivals.
I kinda have to say “so?”. Its apples phone, apples software, etc etc etc. Why should they allow others onto their store? If they want to, great. But why should they before forced to? Its not like its a monopoly, anyone else is free to make their own phone and software at any time. I dont really get this idea that apple has to let other people into its house, or that that if they did it would make things better.
Monopolies are bad, educate yourself before talking about something you have no clue about.
Its not a monopoly, moron. Or is xbox a monopoly as well? What about playstation? and Switch? Are they all monopolies as well? Jesus…
As soon as I pay for it it becomes my phone, not Apple’s.
And since it’s just a computer I should be allowed to put whatever software I want on it.
Because it’s mine.
This, except I won’t buy an apple device (unless forced to: in Germany an i-bad is required in many high schools, yes you need to pay for it in full with your own money, yes it needs to be an i-bad they even require a specific model)
It stops being Apple’s phone once they sell it.
It’s not about what apple wants. It’s about consumers having the freedom to do whatever the fuck they want with their device. If i buy a chair and want to add a 5th leg Ikea has no say in the matter so why should apple have a say in my app choices?
But the consumer does have a choice. They have the choice not to buy apple. Right? Its not like they hide this fact. You know what you are buying into.
“I get to do whatever I want” not according to the Ts&Cs you agreed to when you turned the phone on. Again, you knew what you were getting into. So why are trying to force someone else to do something, when its perfectly reasonable that you just dont buy the thing that doesnt suit your needs?
no I don’t have that choice, see my other comment
No, you do have that choice. You just dont like that choice. Fuck your other comment. Its bullshit. You just want something you cant have, like the other cunt acting like hes superior to anyone else cos “he knows better”. If you dont like what apple does, DO NOT BUT IT! Stop trying to get governments to do your dirty work for you.
Have you tried to have a smart phone outside of Apple or Android? They are clearly operating as a duopoly at this stage, they need tackled
Yes, the issue wasnt apple or android. The issue was support for various app makers. I LOVED windows phone.
Regulations like these exist to protect people who can’t protect themselves.
The average apple-user is too stupid to understand or appreciate the value of an open ecosystem, so it’s up to those who know better to fight on their behalf.
lol Yeah, dont talk utter shit. Apple “just works”. Thats what most people want. They dont want an open platform, full of viruses, malware, and every other fucking thing that makes running windows a pain in the arse. The utter state of you “I know better than all the simpletons”. Could you be any more up your own smelly arse?
It’s the truth whether you like it or not.
Viruses are malware, for example. You’re completely clueless and feel embarrassed that someone dared mention it’s a trait of people who buy apple products.
You should educate yourself instead of getting mad at those who are more knowledgeable than you.
Virus are a subgroup of malware you fucking spoon. All viruses are malware, but not all malware are viruses. I suppose I should have listed off all types of Malware just to keep the pedantic among us satisfied
Viruses are malware
Virus are a subgroup of malware you fucking spoon
Either you’re trolling, or just proving me right about the mental capacity of the average apple user. You tried to make a list by saying 1 thing because you don’t have any idea of what you’re talking about.
You really should just take the L and move on. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.
no, we don’t. Android is becoming the same thing. So intervention is needed
Honestly don’t care what they do with their store. But it’s super fucked to exert 100% control of all software on the device.
I 100% agree. I’m so sick of Apple being attacked in the European market. Look, I love open source software but I don’t want my phone running a bunch of shit that couldn’t even make into the App Store.
but I don’t want my phone running a bunch of shit that couldn’t even make into the App Store.
Great! These regulations won’t affect you!
It’s literally nothing but a net-gain for those who want to use or make software without apple’s approval.
How can you be such a child that you want to take that power away from them simply because you don’t want it?
then don’t install anything outside of their walled garden but don’t force it on everyone just because you don’t want it.
I moved away from apple a long time ago as I wanted to use my phone my way. there’s many reasons why some apps don’t make it into Google play/Apple store, doesn’t mean they’re bad. ad free you tube apps, streaming apps, terminal apps just to mention a few.
You moved away from Apple so I’m not really understanding your lingering problem with Apple.
I moved away from Nissan to Audi a few years ago, I don’t go around criticizing Nissan cars now that I’ve switched. Why would I?
You moved away from Apple so I’m not really understanding your lingering problem with Apple.
Expecting logic from apple users is an effort in futility.
I always need to keep this in mind when interacting with them.
I may not use apple any more but there are plenty of others who do who would like the opportunity to install what they want.
Also apples logic is a little flawed, if I buy a mac I can install what I want, why should a phone or tablet be different.
What if there were only two car companies?
Is it Apple’s fault that there are only two major operating systems for smartphones? Can’t the same be said about computers? Sure there’s Linux but why doesn’t anyone care about macOS doing basically the same proprietary things as iOS?
It’s like everyone wants a cut of their profits simply because they’re successful.
This doesn’t really cut their profits in any way outside of app store sales I suppose. They are still selling hardware. Adding new soures of apps doesn’t, in any way, take away their “magic”. That’s not being taken away at all.
Also iOS and MacOS are not the same. You don’t have to go through apple store to get apps running on macOS. There is no hard restriction on what software you can run on it.
