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from the taking-a-bite-out-of-the-Apple dept.
EU launches two antitrust investigations into Apple practices:
European Union authorities Tuesday launched two antitrust investigations into Apple's mobile app store and payment platform over concerns that the company's practices distort competition, opening a new front in the EU's battle against the dominance of big tech companies.
The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, said it began a formal investigation of Apple Pay over allegations that the company refuses access to the payment system in some cases and limits access to the "tap and go" function on iPhones.
The commission opened a second investigation into the mobile App Store over concerns that Apple restricts developers from letting iPhone and iPad users know about ways to make purchases outside of apps. The investigation follows complaints from music-streaming service Spotify and an e-book distributor on the impact of the App Store's rules on the competition.
EU Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said, "It appears that Apple obtained a gatekeeper role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple's popular devices."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 17 2020, @08:28PM
The problem is that when such a vast majority of the population has smart phones, many societal systems start to be built around them. Interacting with the rest of society without using a smart phone, or at least a cell phone, becomes increasingly difficult.
My doctor's office confirms appointments by text message now. My apartment complex sends information out via texting, too. The pizza delivery lets you know when it's on the way via text. When I pick up the groceries I ordered online, I have to let them know I'm there by calling them from my car... or they just released in the new version of the grocery store's app, it uses location finding to recognize you're at the store, the app prompts you for which delivery slot you're in, and they bring the groceries out. (yeah, just go in and shop directly; sorry I'm handicapped and I can't walk through the huge stores anymore)
Sure, you can be the strange person who bucks the trend and refuses to get the privacy invader that is the modern smart phone... and that will accomplish what, exactly? Other than making day to day life harder for you personally, without changing anything for anyone else? Something might change if enough people balked at using them, but the more people do use them the higher the price to not use them becomes.