Apple has loosened its App Store restrictions to permit more emulation software.
22.03.2024 - 07:38 / tech.hindustantimes.com
It'll likely take years before the U.S. government's massive antitrust lawsuit against Apple is resolved — but the iPhone maker's troubles with European regulators offer a glimpse of what changes American customers may see down the line.
The U.S. lawsuit seeks to stop Apple from undermining technologies that compete with its own apps in areas such as streaming, messaging and digital payments. The Department of Justice also wants to prevent the tech giant from building language into its contracts with developers, accessory makers and consumers that lets it obtain or keep a monopoly.
These are similar to themes that the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, and Apple have been wrangling over for years.
EU antitrust watchdogs have launched multiple antitrust cases accusing Apple of violating the 27-nation bloc's competition laws, while also imposing tough digital rules aimed at stopping tech companies from cornering digital markets.
Brussels' efforts will soon start to have an impact on the way the company does business and the experience iPhone users have in Europe. And the changes could signal what's to come for U.S. Apple users — if the Justice Department has its way, at least.
Music streaming users typically weren't able to pay for their Spotify subscriptions directly through their iPhone apps. They couldn't even be informed by email of subscription prices, promos and offers by Spotify or other music streaming services. That's because Apple puts tight restrictions on apps that compete with its own Apple Music service.
But when Spotify complained to the European Union, antitrust regulators opened a yearslong investigation that resulted in an order for Apple to stop such behavior and came with a whopping 1.8 billion euro ($2 billion) fine aimed at deterring the company from doing it again.
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's competition chief, said Apple's practices were “illegal” and “impacted millions of European consumers who were not able to make a free choice as to where, how and at what price to buy music streaming subscriptions.”
Apple tried to resolve a second EU antitrust case by proposing to let third party mobile wallet and payment service providers access the tap and go payment function on its iOS operating system.
Apple offered the concession to the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, after it accused the company in 2022 of abusing its dominant position by limiting access to its mobile payment technology.
The commission had been examining whether Apple Pay's rules require online shops to make it the preferred or default option, effectively shutting out rival payment systems. It had also been investigating concerns
Apple has loosened its App Store restrictions to permit more emulation software.
In an effort to strengthen its case in a heated lawsuit over the safety of its Autopilot system, Tesla is looking to Apple for help. The case, which stems from a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model X in 2018, resulted in a legal battle over the circumstances of the accident.
In a recent move, Apple has revised its App Store guidelines to greenlight the availability of retro game emulators worldwide, providing users with the option to download titles. This significant update signals a shift in Apple's stance on emulation software, a domain previously restricted within its ecosystem.
Spacefaring adventures can be yummy! Honkai: Star Rail just celebrated its first year in orbit! To celebrate, Honkai: Star Rail Teams Up with Sprinkles bakery chain to launch a limited-edition line of out-of-this-world cupcakes—or at least, out of this bakery display case.
In the vast world of Grand Theft Auto 5's Story Mode, players are often on the lookout for the coolest rides to steal and cruise around Los Santos. While the game offers an array of vehicles, some stand out for their performance, style, and rarity. Here are the top five cars you can find in free roam that are sure to elevate your gaming experience.
In an interesting turn of events, Apple has filed a lawsuit alleging a leak of classified information about projects including the recently launched Journal app. This development comes just days after the iPhone maker got hit with a lawsuit by the US Department of Justice for allegedly creating a walled garden with its devices and ecosystem. This time, Apple has alleged that Andrew Aude, a former iOS software developer, leaked details about its classified projects. Consequently, Apple seeks damages of over $25000 in addition to a jury trial.
Take-Two will acquire developer Gearbox from Embracer for $460 million.
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Apple and other tech giants face another legal fight — this time from the European Commission, which is now investigating the iPhone maker's alleged non-compliance with EU rules.
A few weeks ago, Toys for Bob unexpectedly split from Activision and Microsoft to become an independent developer once again. However, even in that announcement, the studio based in Novato, California mentioned that they were exploring a partnership with Microsoft for their next game.
The U.S. has filed a lawsuit against Apple with the aim of increasing competition for the iPhone and giving a leg up to smaller companies whose apps work with the ubiquitous device.
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