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Microsoft Tells Congress That iOS App Store Is Anticompetitive:
US regulators are taking aim at big tech firms like Google, Apple, and Amazon, with the potential for antitrust cases later this year. A House committee is gearing up to question the CEOs of major technology companies, but Microsoft President Brad Smith has already chatted with the committee. Smith reportedly expressed concerns about Apple in particular, specifically when it comes to its handling of the App Store.
[...] According to Smith, the recent disagreement over the Basecamp Hey email app on iOS exemplifies the problem. The app needs a $99 annual subscription, but there was no way to purchase it in the app — users had to go to the web. That didn't please Apple, as it circumvented the 30 percent revenue charge. Apple resisted approving the app, only doing so when public pressure ramped up, and the developers added a 14-day free trial for iOS users.
[...] And that's at the heart of the antitrust probe: Is Apple harming competition with its policies now that iOS is one of two dominant mobile platforms? It might take a few years for the government to decide that one.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 22 2020, @05:55PM (5 children)
The tech company that does NOT engage in anti-competitive conduct is the exception, rather than the rule. Joe Blow can't hope to take his life savings at age 25 or 30 or even 75, and start a company in competition with any of them. At best, Joe might hope to find some tiny little niche to fill, that the tech companies have overlooked. Entry into just about any field requires hordes of money that can only come from many investors. The little guy is pretty much locked out.
Enough whining that it's expensive to get into the game. Suppose you DO get into the game? Well, each and every one of those tech companies are on the lookout for startups to take over. Something somewhere looks like it might be half-way successful, they pounce on it. It simply won't do to have a new name doing ANYTHING better than you do it. And, the government looks the other way in most cases, not caring that there is a monopoly in the making, or that anti-trust laws are being broken.
Blame part of that on Trump, he's an ass in that respect, because he admires money and success. Which is redundant, because in Trump's mind, money IS success, lack of money is an obvious sign of failure.
That is one thing I miss about Clinton. He was set to take on the big tech companies, primarily Microsoft.
Want to jump-start our world-wide failing economy? Get the Small Business Administration involved in tech. Small businesses have historically been the job creators. Any company with less than 100 employees gets a HUGE tax break, companies with less than 500 merely get a big tax break. Offer some incentives along with the tax breaks. These people CREATE jobs. Big corps eliminate jobs.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 22 2020, @06:36PM (1 child)
I'm finding it hard to come up with the right search terms to find the story, but recently I was reading articles about independent breweries and acquisitions by the mega-conglomerates. It was mentioned that one brewery owner, and the only thing I remember is that this person is a woman (which in itself is unusual for the brewing industry at any level) and she apparently was always pretty up front about her business plan, which was to create a successful enough craft brewery and sell out to a big conglomerate. I found that interesting because a good size of the craft beer clientele are those who decry the effects of the mega-conglomerates on the beer industry, or maybe that has or is changing. At least there one has to establish a company and actually create quality products before that happens, where in the Gig economy people still seem to operate that all you need is a "cool" and well marketed story to be bought out, or at least to get a lot of VC money and then be bought out.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 22 2020, @07:49PM
That has been a thing for a long time now. Many of us older folk remember the hulabaloo over magical carburetors that would enable you to get 50 mpg or better, in the big old land yachts that people used to drive. One of my ex-wife's uncles managed to convince GM that his ideas worked, and GM bought up his patent. Everyone was happy.
Parenthetically - there WAS SOMETHING to his ideas, because I witnessed him improving an 18 mpg vehicle to a 25 mpg vehicle. But, for the most part, those ideas were gimmicks, and the auto manufacturers would buy them up anyway, to prevent competition, etc.
If more people actually understood how things really work, fewer people would WANT TO SELL their ideas, or their businesses to Big Corp. Let's say I spend 24 years building up a company that employs 125 people, many of them my relatives. I sell the business, and immediately Big Corp trims the fat. When all is said and done, 100 of my people are out of work, the remaining 25 are miserable working for a Big Corp that has zero respect for them. Big Corp may even lay off or fire all of my people, and squash the whole project, because it competes with some other project.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by stretch611 on Wednesday July 22 2020, @08:24PM
I modded the parent up... Then I noticed that it was posted by Runaway.
I had to go back, re-read his post, didn't notice anything obvious and read it again. Much to my astonishment, I still fully agreed with him.
Today isn't April 1st, not April 20th and I am not high, I don't think its backwards day.
Still dumbfounded about how this happened.
=)
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @12:18AM (1 child)
You are really going to imply Clinton was a good guy?
The guy that signed the repeal of Glass_Steagall.
The guy that signed telecom act of 1996 (gave telcos money to build networks
and the telcos kept the money and did nothing, adding significantly to the DOTCOM
bubble crash).
And he did nothing to Microsoft -- just alot of hot air ...
And that is just the start of the list ...
(Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 23 2020, @01:13AM
I've not implied that Clinton was a "good guy". I have clearly stated though, that Clinton's administration was moving forward with monopoly charges against Microsoft. You may believe me, or you may research it for yourself. Bush came in, and put a halt to all of that.