Apple Accuses European Commission of 'Political Delay Tactics' To Justify Fines (macrumors.com) 11
Apple has accused the European Commission of using "political delay tactics" to postpone new app marketplace policies and create grounds for investigating and fining the iPhone maker, a preemptive response to reports that the commission plans to blame Apple for the announced closure of third-party app store Setapp.
MacPaw, the developer behind Setapp, said it would shut down the marketplace next month because of "still-evolving and complex business terms that don't fit Setapp's current business model." The EC is preparing to say that Apple has not rolled out changes to address key issues concerning its business terms and their complexity, according to remarks seen by Bloomberg.
Apple said it disputes this finding. The company said it submitted a formal compliance plan in October proposing to replace its $0.59 per-install fee structure with a 5% revenue share, but the commission has not responded. "The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested," Apple said. The company also claimed there is no demand in the EU for alternative app stores and disputed that Setapp is closing because of its actions.
MacPaw, the developer behind Setapp, said it would shut down the marketplace next month because of "still-evolving and complex business terms that don't fit Setapp's current business model." The EC is preparing to say that Apple has not rolled out changes to address key issues concerning its business terms and their complexity, according to remarks seen by Bloomberg.
Apple said it disputes this finding. The company said it submitted a formal compliance plan in October proposing to replace its $0.59 per-install fee structure with a 5% revenue share, but the commission has not responded. "The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested," Apple said. The company also claimed there is no demand in the EU for alternative app stores and disputed that Setapp is closing because of its actions.
Who can tell? (Score:2)
At this point is Apple being honest, or is it just creating a narrative it knows the current US administration can use to make US-Euro relations even worse, knowing Europe doesn't want that?
Regardless though, it shouldn't have taken government action to get Apple to a position where it doesn't act as a gatekeeper for how people are allowed to use the devices they bought and own.
Re: (Score:1)
At this point is Apple being honest, or is it just creating a narrative it knows the current US administration can use to make US-Euro relations even worse, knowing Europe doesn't want that?
The EU probably does want worse relations with the US... the narative that "The US is steamrolling all you helpless tiny European countries" bolsters the EU's power even further. Honestly, it's all heading towards authoritarianism at this point; dark times.
Re:Who can tell? (Score:4, Insightful)
Probably, and at the same time, it's not like the US government isn't helping in that goal.
After all, Sun Tzu said to never interrupt while your opponent is making a fool of themselves. With Trump trying to bluster his way around the world, the EC just has to poke him the right ways to convince people that's what the US is going to do.
All the EU and other countries have to do is appear to be the more reasonable one. Apple can complain all they want - they've also dug their own grave, so even Apple's narrative isn't without suspect.
Apple complains to the US government, Trump blusters some more, and both Apple and the US government get painted in an even worse light.
Meanwhile this happens, Apple is panicking about what the EU is going to do, and all the EU has to do is wait. See what happens next. Maybe Apple cracks and offers something.
Re: (Score:3)
At this point is Apple being honest, or is it just creating a narrative
At what point in the past 10 years has Apple not tried to dominate and get ahead of the narrative, especially when it comes to their criticism of EU regulations and fines?
All in all this is just stupid. It sounds like Apple is saying "it's unfair that we follow current law because the law may change in the future and the EU is against us because it's not changing fast enough!" That's not how anything works.
Not only is Apple pushing a narrative, but it's pushing actively stupid ones, not that for your point
Re: (Score:2)
Apple has always tried to create a "walled garden", at least since the Apple ][+. (I wasn't aware of it before then.) Under Jobs the justification was generally "our approach is technically superior", but while that was often true, it wasn't the real motivation.
Re: (Score:2)
No. Apple was less open with it's documentation that the preceding personal computers. (The S100 bus computers.) I'll admit that I believe the Tarbell interface was portable (I never tried), but that wasn't invented by Apple. The floppy disk format was proprietary.
No demand for a 3rd-party app store in the EU? (Score:3, Insightful)
Right, because Apple strongly (and programmatically) encourages people NEVER to use anything but their monopoly products. If you even TRY to install a 3rd party app store, the phone will put up a large warning screen claiming how terribly bad this choice would be for the user, their phone, and (probably) their family and pets. Android does as well, but it's a lot smaller and easier to bypass. Install the free Android dev tools and you can install anything you can find.
It's easy to claim no demand, when you can easily force people not to ask for it.
Re: No demand for a 3rd-party app store in the EU? (Score:4, Informative)
Of course it's political (Score:2)
I say this as a proud US citizen. Pot, meet kettle.
What Are The Facts? (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't help but feel that:
The EU commission ordered Apple to drop the $0.59 charge.
Apple responded: OK but can we charge this instead?
The EU is fining Apple for not following the order, to drop the charge. And, by the way, the EU commission hasn't answered the question.
Apple is saying that it's not their fault for not dropping it because the EU won't answer their question.
If this is the case, then Apple doesn't have a leg to stand on. The crazy girlfriend gambit ain't gonna work in an EU court.
Follow the order AND ask the question. Not, I might follow the order IF you answer my question, to my satisfaction.