HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
The favorite company grew into richest company in the world... but did not evolve its business practices to avoid GOVs needing to get involved. History shows how this goes and it goes the SAME way EVERY time.
In Capitalism, the great core love of the system is robust competition. Robust competition spurs sellers to innovate to try to woo share from other competitors... and it pressures prices down for the same goods as competitors try to woo share there too. There's wins for both sellers & buyers when it is able to function correctly.
When the competition thins out and someone is basically roaring into a dominant hold on some part of some market, either that company proactively evolves their business practices towards raising all boats or GOV will come. GOV is the "last resort" play... and this is the last resort play in these countries where these laws are put into play.
Some of "us" will HATE this, rip it to shreds, etc... but it's mostly Apple's own doing. History tells the very same story many times. Pretty much every company in history makes the same (decision) mistake when they ascend into or near the top of this mountain. And then GOV finally drops a generally laissez faire approach to that company in an attempt- or sometimes several/many- to reel them in and re-establish some tangible competition for consumers.
Some freak because Apple is in the cross hairs but I bet they would argue very differently when it is Googles turn, or Microsofts or <other>. I too wish that it did not come to this... I wish GOV was not involved... but that required Apple to recognize they were ascending to the "richest" throne and needed to evolve business practices upwards of a couple of years ago. Now they pay the price where GOVs- instead of Apple- get to decide how that evolution will go.
GOV is the only entity with the resources and endless well of legal power to overpower the deep, deep, DEEP well of Apple's power. GOV could fight this for a thousand years but no corp could stall the inevitable for that long.
Best play is not just comply with the letter of the law (even if technically that is what is required) but comply with the spirit of the law... in very tangible ways... which may have some short-term revenue pain but will likely grow goodwill as the core to the "benevolent king" shift involves raising all boats. In complying with the spirit of the law, they may take the cross hairs off themselves and entities like the EU may shift to others who need the same "spanking"... and other countries who will inevitably follow with similar laws if Apple doesn't evolve... may opt to leave Apple alone and focus on others rapidly ascending to the top of their hills.
Else, keep fighting/testing the law/finagling around the edges/flirting in gray area interpretations... and GOVs will keep responding/amending/fining/amending/fining again/amending/etc until the Corp finally gives in and complies. Get it done ASAP and move on or fight a battle that will almost certainly be lost... as have all before Apple who tried to cling to practices at the root of why the GOV opted to take action.
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