I, for once, love living in the EU
"for one" or "for once"?
Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
61–70 of 653 posts
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#62Not trying to start a flame war, I'm asking this earnestly. Where does this command over hardware (USB-C mandate), software (sideloading/AppStore), and prices (recent 2bn decision) end?
Ideally, as a consumer, in a market where commodity computer hardware is not arbitrarily restricted to extract the maximum attainable profit from consumers? It has been shown time and again that both volunteers and competitors can quickly and easily build and ship software, including entire OS's that run on the hardware, the only thing preventing them from doing so is anti-consumer and anti-competitive controls.
It's asinine that I, as a consumer, can pay over $1000 for a device and not be able to choose which software I can run on it because the developer of that device locks out access. It's even worse that the company I bought it from can arbitrarily disable the device, features, and services that I have paid for, and I have little to no recourse.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
More likely that the request for more information on this case from the EU commission to Apple triggered the walk back. At least the EU Commissioner for the internal market is happy about the reverse: https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1766167580497117464
Yikes I hate that Thierry is using "#freefortnite". You can be completely on board with the DMA but still see Epic's behavior as entirely profit motivated and "freeing Fortnite" should not be any official's priority. Epic is not some oppressed minority that needs saving.
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Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#64Tim Cook managed to be cool calm and diplomatic when dealing with Trump and his trade war with China. Why is Tim Cook suddenly acting irrational and child-like when dealing with EU? This behaviour we're seeing from Apple recently is happening in front on investors and everyone else's eyes because Tim Cook is personally green-lighting this behaviour. What's going on inside Apple? Is it because none of their hardware i…
Aside from their spectacular laptops with arm, they seem like they are being left behind.
Vision Pro is probably a gimmick along with the whole VR world right now, which will change soon too but overall I don't see anything exciting about apple.
Their pricing is infuriating and so are their decisions (laptop 8gb ram in 2024???)
To me it looks like they got stuck in the "this is what worked for us, so let's only do this" mentality and take no risks.
They stand on the shoulders of giants and most importantly on their cultural presence...
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
You want to sell in their house, you gotta play by their rules. It’s that simple.
If only it were that simple!! Isn't the central problem that you're not allowed to sell in anybody elses house. I mean, if you're prepared to accept that you are leasing the device and that the lease will dictate what you can add can't do with the device, then I think your position holds, otherwise, it's a little tenuous.
I interpreted the parent comment as referring to the EU's house and rules?
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#66Getting pretty huge clown face painting meme vibes.
A childish move, unexpected from such a company like apple especially with timing. Which probably boils down to one overzealous middle/higher manager trying too hard to be a good boi for superiors to get extra bonus... I don't think it panned as expected. Otherwise apple corporate culture is quite rotten.
The Epic blog post shows emails with Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi. This was all approved by upper management.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think there is a strategy, this is all theater so he has some pushback if investors file complaints or lawsuits during the next quarterly results meeting. They can't say that Tim Cook didn't do everything in his power to make them even *more* money. Since, ultimately, his duty as a CEO is to prioritize the financial wealth of shareholders. If he just complied with the EU then he'd be voted out by the board by…
Microsoft and Google seem to be able to comply without publicly embarrassing themselves. Investors are not stupid, they understand that companies have to comply with the law. This behavior is totally on management. If I were a big investor I’d be more worried by this since it seems like management are acting irrationally without any plan.
Microsoft's compliance is largely to allow for Bing to be removed as their built-in search, and ability to uninstall Edge. They are also only allowing this within the EU market, not globally.
Google just needs to allow for the selection of a default browser, provide links in Google search to competing sites (which Google will still make money off of with their ad delivery network anyway), opt-out option for sharing data between YT, Search, Maps, etc. As well as allow outside payment processors for apps.
For Microsoft and Google, none of these changes are affecting their cash cow. Cloud computing for MS, and ads for Google.
These DMA changes are affecting Apple's cash cow, the iPhone. and their second largest cash cow, Services and IAP. Apple has a LOT more on the line with these DMA changes than MS or Google do.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#68Not trying to start a flame war, I'm asking this earnestly. Where does this command over hardware (USB-C mandate), software (sideloading/AppStore), and prices (recent 2bn decision) end?
The USB-C mandate is nothing to do with Apple. It’s ensure interoperability and reduce waste.
Setting standards is one of the oldest forms of regulation, ever since weights and measures were standardized to ensure people could trade more easily, ensuring that when you bought a pound of flour from one vendor it would be the same pound as the vendor across the street.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#69Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#70Please stop picking stupid fights, Apple. You keep losing them.
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> I love that they’re willing to spend it on the EU’s frivolous bullshit.
As an Apple customer myself, I'd be much happier if they spent that money researching a way to charge the Magic Trackpad over USB-C. This is precisely the behavior that makes me ashamed to use Apple hardware.