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https://decrypt.co/11947/moscow-bans-sale-of-gadgets-without-russian-made-software
The potential to integrate mass surveillance into the common Internet infrastructure has analysts worried. A booming blackmarket for foreign smartphones seems likely.
A law requiring that foreign-made consumer-electronic devices must be pre-installed with Russian-made software was passed by Russia's lower house of parliament on Thursday. It covers smartphones, computers and smart televisions, and will go into effect in July, 2020.
The aim of the new legislation is to promote Russian technology, according to its proponents. But some fear that making Russian-made apps mandatory will provide a backdoor for surveillance. Critics also claim that this promotes technologically inferior software, and might cause international manufacturers to pull out of the Russian market.
[...] On Reddit, users expressed concerns about the quality of the Russian alternatives, in comparison to international brands such as Windows and Google.
"I'm sure you meant Gugal, comrade. You no use Gugal, you go to Gulag," quipped one Redditor.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 23 2019, @10:21PM (1 child)
Google and Apple have a monopoly on smartphone hardware and software. They are both part of PRISM and likely other US government surveillance programs.
And, yes - the US government effectively did all they could to prevent Huawei from being able to compete in the US market.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday November 25 2019, @10:12AM
Doesn't satisfy the definition of monopoly since you have at least two parties right there. You also have a number of other companies in the mix, mostly not in the US. Even if you are speaking of the technical spot monopolies of patents and other IP, those other companies have plenty of their own IP. And such monopolies never prevent someone from competing in the smartphone market nor allow one to. They're merely a modest market advantage on their own.
So? That remains a far cry from the Russian move. For example, it still allows competition from other Chinese manufacturers, as well as the rest of the Far East Asia and Europe to compete. And it doesn't cover all electronics.