EU Approves Landmark Legislation to Regulate Apple and Other Big Tech Firms

[Treq]

Wow. Talk about government overreach... This would force apple to share your data with third parties. Open up it's Secure Enclave making it a non-secure enclave... and worse of all the quality of the experience would drop so far as to be on the Android level. I. hope they make a special iPhone just for the EU and don't let this crap spread to the US.

 

[contacos]

Lawsuits against this legislation coming in 3… 2… 1…

Europeans don't really bother to sue. Its more likely that most people will not even be made aware of this or care.

 

[Michael Scrip]

It all depends on implementation. The functionality of some messaging apps is very different than others. Then there's the possibility of duplicate accounts and security. And what is considered a messaging app? Would Instagram or Twitter be included as well?

I have questions about interoperability too.

When this legislation is put into effect.... will I need to have a WhatsApp account to message another WhatsApp user? I currently don't have an account. But will I be able to send someone a WhatsApp message by simply typing their WhatsApp ID into some other app?

And if I don't need a WhatsApp account... then what's the point of WhatsApp as a platform?

Once every messaging platform works with every other messaging platform... then there are no more platforms.

Send me an Instagram DM to my TikTok account using the Signal app...

 

[Michael Scrip]

I hope they make a special iPhone just for the EU and don't let this crap spread to the US.

Hmmm.... I wonder if that would work?

I know some car manufacturers can't bring certain world models to the US because of strict US auto regulations...

Could Apple make a special EU iPhone?

🤨

 

[WiseAJ]

When the iPhone becomes just another ****** device like android you can blame the EU. So much for CHOICE.

 

[nastysailboat]

And with that iOS became another android phone. Good bye ease of use.

 

[dlewis23]

I’d say suck it up, because this kind of thing won’t be limited to the EU only. Other regions / countries will follow suit at some point wether you like that or not. And eventually, one of those countries will be the US itself.

We already know that, thats why there is a cookie banner everywhere and at least the basics of GDPR are followed on every decent sized website.

I agree with a lot of it, but disagree with a lot of it at the same time. I wish it was more focused, some of this stuff ends up making no difference and just creates more useless work.

But at the same time, I do not believe this will spread to more or many more countries because they don't really have to at this point. Once the EU did it, everyone basically got the same rules.

 

[SpotOnT]

I have questions about interoperability too.

When this legislation is put into effect.... will I need to have a WhatsApp account to message another WhatsApp user? I currently don't have an account. But will I be able to send someone a WhatsApp message by simply typing their WhatsApp ID into some other app?

And if I don't need a WhatsApp account... then what's the point of WhatsApp as a platform?

Once every messaging platform works with every other messaging platform... then there are no more platforms.

Send me an Instagram DM to my TikTok account using the Signal app...

I assume it will be like e-mail. Companies will have to make their protocols available to everyone, such the yes, you can DM someone from Instagram to Apple Messages.

This is probably the biggest benefit I see here to the actual users. Everything else mainly benefits other companies.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Regulation destroys innovation

It destroys innovations and adds unnecessary restrictions. Sadly, It's the consumers that get affected by it the most.

 

[4492865]

Lawsuits against this legislation coming in 3… 2… 1…

Yeah but we we don't have 6 conservatives with archaic views that have decided to sit on the seat of the legislative body and take the country back 150 years so I won't give that much chance.

 

[jon9091]

Apple should just make a crap Android-like phone for the EU. If users want a REAL Apple phone, they’ll have to buy it from the US.

 

[Treq]

Hmmm.... I wonder if that would work?

I know some car manufacturers can't bring certain world models to the US because of strict US auto regulations...

Could Apple make a special EU iPhone?

🤨

Of course they could. They used to make multiple models for different regions. At one point they had different ones for different carriers in the US because they used different cell tech. The European version was different than the US version at the time as well. They can do that again. Sucks that the EU would force them to do that to keep the rest of their eco system's quality up to par though.

 

[minimo3]

Just sell iPhones/iPads in EU as hardware-only. Customers can choose to (a) bring their own OS and use whatever app stores, browsers, etc they choose, (b) plug it into the pc/Mac and flash the official iOS and be stuck in apples walled garden.

Customer choice- problem solved

 

[Xiaojohn]

AGAIN, I think EU is very clear if they benchmark APPLE as gatekeeper; It means service (with $$), each iPhone sell in EU should be seeing as selling hardware now, and each iOS must be charge a fee per annual, or they can opt for Google Andriod. Or they can use Linux or HuaweiOS.....or windows Mobile OS.

And yet, the use of APP Store should be charge too, based on the EU digital service theory.

APPLE, please just sell them the brick iPhone hardware and let them do whatever they want. You want directly ship it from Taiwan to EU, without a software inside.

 

[Xiaojohn]

Just sell iPhones/iPads in EU as hardware-only. Customers can choose to (a) bring their own OS and use whatever app stores, browsers, etc they choose, (b) plug it into the pc/Mac and flash the official iOS and be stuck in apples walled garden.

Customer choice- problem solved

Yes, just sell them the brick iPhone without software will do. Let them install whatever they want.

 

[dguisinger]

Another example of Tim Cook's failure of leadership and lack of foresight. It was clear where this was headed years ago.

Instead of playing along and offering some concessions, he refused, kept telling countries their rules didn't matter, preferred to pay fines, and now they slap Apple with something this broad. Its his own fault. Most users who were demanding some things open up were asking for reasonable things. And now he's going to have a gigantic patchwork of laws around the world as a result of this that Apple has to comply with.

 

[RigSatMe]

So the same rules should be applicable in each industry in EU:
1. Medicine
2. Car manufacturers
3. Education
4. Work
5. Providers

Consumers should be given a total freedom in each department. Otherwise no consistency.
It’s biased from EU towards US, period!

Create your own product, promote it, expand it. That’s free market.

 

[H2SO4]

Baffled. The EU should come up with their own competitive alternative to Apple, Google, etc. instead of trying to kill the business model of these successful companies. Consumers have all the choice they need. They can either buy an iPhone or not. What more of a regulation do you need?

Does what you said really make sense?

 

[Xiaojohn]

And with that iOS became another android phone. Good bye ease of use.

no way for that....maybe APPLE should split the business:

1. select your hardware - iPhone 14 w/A16 chip = $999
2. select your ROM - 512 GB = $ 400
3. select your RAM - 512 GB = $ 400
4. select your OS - Microsoft = $300; Google Andriod = $ 300; iOS = $300; Huawei = $150

Yeah! Consumers won and saved money. fair play.

 

[nerdo]

Another crazy conspiracy theorist.

Because the EU GDPR cookie laws and other initiatives are all about spying on the consumer.
Oh wait. Hang on. Its the opposite.

We will see what the reality behind all thse regulations will be. I'm guessing Apple is a lot smarter than most of the over dramatic comments here and have planned for this years ago. Regulations like this don't get decided on the day and neither will Apple's response be something cooked up in a few minutes.

 

[RigSatMe]

Apple...please charge EU consumers each apps they use....€150 per annual for iOS, each upgrade will be €50. Also install App Store should be charge for €150 also.... service = charges....APPLE entitled to all the charges and fees.

Simply create another iOS:

1. iOS 16 - Worldwide (as Apple see it)
2. iOS 16 - Gatekeeper (where the phone starts and you have only apps: phone and browser. That’s! No back up solution, no update, no support. In one word Freedom (who requested it))!

 

[jimbobb24]

It was fun while it lasted before bureaucrats decided to screw it up.

 

[Biro]

Baffled. The EU should come up with their own competitive alternative to Apple, Google, etc. instead of trying to kill the business model of these successful companies. Consumers have all the choice they need. They can either buy an iPhone or not. What more of a regulation do you need?

But that's not the European Way. I know it'll never happen but Apple should just walk away from the EU. Something like that only needs to happen once.

 

[jimbobb24]

Are you crazy?
The idea is that third party apps need to be allowed to use NFC for their apps (like their banking aps) and not just use Apple Pay, not that Tinder is going to listen to you in your sleep.

What does an “idea” about a law have to do with the actual result of a law. Negative unforeseen disastrous unintended consequences are the norm
with this type of sweeping regulation not the exception.

 

[Xiaojohn]

Simply create another iOS:

1. iOS 16 - Worldwide (as Apple see it)
2. iOS 16 - Gatekeeper (where the phone starts and you have only apps: phone and browser. That’s! No back up solution, no update, no support. In one word Freedom (who requested it))!

no way. if they have this distro....it will end up more distro/edited iOS.....

just sell them the brick will do.

I see the new EU ruling have no sense.