Tim Cook Meets EU Antitrust Chief Ahead of iPhone App Sideloading Deadline

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday met the European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, at Apple Park amid a series of disputes between the organizations.

The meeting focused on European competition policy and digital regulation. On X (formerly Twitter), Vestager explained that she stressed Apple's impending obligation to allow users to install third-party app stores and sideload apps under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). They also spoke about ongoing investigations involving Apple, such as a complaint raised by Spotify against Apple Music, but Vestager declined to provide more specific detail of the discussion.

Apple is facing a range of challenges in the EU, such as a $14 billion tax dispute and a potential deal to open up the iPhone's NFC technology to payment services from rival companies. Most strikingly, new EU rules such as the DMA designate major tech companies as "gatekeepers" and compel them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA is expected to force Apple to make significant changes to the way the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work in Europe. For example, Apple will be obliged to give developers the ability to promote their offers outside the ‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌ and use third-party payment systems.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Tim Cook Meets EU Antitrust Chief Ahead of iPhone App Sideloading Deadline

 

[SoldOnApple]

Interesting to see how this pans out.

 

[TJ82]

Matching haircuts. Good start!

 

[oofio2461]

We have a right to do anything with the hardware WE buy. Apple is too over-controlling over the things we can and cant do.

 

[pappl]

Nice to meet you 💰💰💰💰

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

I'm unlikely to use side loading on my iPhone but the feature should be there. Call it 'installing' or something new aged like that. The place I *really* want this though is on the iPad.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

We have a right to do anything with the hardware WE buy. Apple is too over-controlling over the things we can and cant do.

while I agree, if only this were true.
You never own software, it’s always a license.
Even windows, Microsoft can technically revoke your access on your PC at any time if they want to.

 

[kirky29]

Sooo....how much money do you want?

 

[ashdelacroix]

We have a right to do anything with the hardware WE buy. Apple is too over-controlling over the things we can and cant do.

Whilst I agree with this to a large extent, the problem here is that the EU isn't then merely "on the side of the consumer": it is the victim of billions of euros' worth of lobbying from Google, Microsoft and many others, to help bring down Apple a peg or two.

What we are seeing is not some pro-consumer EU but an EU at the bidding of corporations that want to "open up" Apple devices: open them up to third-party services such that Messages would be forced to integrate with Facebook's WhatsApp platform and Google's RCP Android services. You'll notice this would be to the prime benefit of Facebook and Google rather than to some one-man band with a little messaging service.

Even if Messages is not singled out in this way (I'm hearing conflicting information on whether Apple is a "gatekeeper" for this purpose), then it's still important to see how this is not merely a consumer protection but a boon to other billion-dollar corporations who seek to bring down Apple, its specific culture and its secure, walled garden (a garden I suspect 95% of Apple consumers rather like).

 

[scheinderrob]

jail cook if he refuses to allow sideloading worldwide.

 

[citysnaps]

I'm unlikely to use side loading on my iPhone but the feature should be there.

I'm OK with that as long as the iPhone owner bears responsibility for any adverse consequences that comes to them personally, or their iPhone, as a result.

 

[Sorinut]

jail cook if he refuses to allow sideloading worldwide.

Under what law, and explain exactly what laws apply worldwide?

Think before you post ridiculous stuff.

while I agree, if only this were true.
You never own software, it’s always a license.
Even windows, Microsoft can technically revoke your access on your PC at any time if they want to.

Then give us access to the bare hardware, without an OS. We can't get that, either, even at the end of a products lifespan/updates.

Microsoft can revoke your access to Windows, not to the computer itself. I can blow away Windows anytime I want and install another licensed copy, Linux, xBSD, whatever.

 

[toobravetosave]

I'm OK with that as long as the iPhone owner bears responsibility for any adverse consequences that comes to them personally, or their iPhone, as a result.

it’s not like apple is responsible when you download a scam app that drains your bank account

the owner has ALWAYS been the one responsible

 

[MayaUser]

Its simple result, who has the more power/money will win

 

[qCzar]

Most strikingly, new EU rules such as the DMA designate major tech companies as "gatekeepers" and compel them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers.

I understand this point of view, but I don't wholly agree. Don't game developers have to pay Sony & Microsoft a fee to list games on their digital marketplaces? I can't make a game for a console and distribute it on the street, just like I can't an iOS.

The concept is the same in my head. I don't see Apple, Google, PlayStation, and Xbox as Gatekeepers to their respective marketplaces. I crossed off Google because I believe they do have third party app stores on Android?

 

[Timo_Existencia]

I'm curious, from the EU perspective.

Should sideloading only be mandated if a company is considered a "gatekeeper?" OR would you allow a small startup to build an OS that is a walled garden?

 

[citysnaps]

it’s not like apple is responsible when you download a scam app that drains your bank account

the owner has ALWAYS been the one responsible

In such a case, Apple would bear a certain amount of responsibility if that happened on a large scale.

Apple needs to make it clear that you're on your own, with the user acknowledging such, that side-loading can have adverse consequences.

It's about taking personal responsibility for your decisions/choices. I realize that's a foreign concept to many people.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Hope the EU breaks up one day.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Then give us access to the bare hardware, without an OS. We can't get that, either, even at the end of a products lifespan/updates.

Can't you just jailbreak the phone? As I understand it, in the US at least, that is legal. But Apple isn't required to do it for you.

 

[mdnz]

I'm curious, from the EU perspective.

Should sideloading only be mandated if a company is considered a "gatekeeper?" OR would you allow a small startup to build an OS that is a walled garden?

Think it's only if you're considered a gatekeeper.

 

[Jamie0003]

Cook whips out his Apple Vision Pro with laser gun attachment™️

 

[TMRJIJ]

Would be crazy if Cook tried to lock Vestager in a white room

 

[Dionte]

Apple has done a wonderful job of protecting our privacy from invasive apps trying to get access to everything about us. The EU will come to regret this. I can see apple tying to be smart and keeping side loaded apps in a walled garden and the EU going no, they must have access to everything.

 

[Sorinut]

Can't you just jailbreak the phone? As I understand it, in the US at least, that is legal. But Apple isn't required to do it for you.

Maybe? I haven't messed with jailbreaking since the iPhone 5.

 

[laptech]

For a long time defenders of Apple have been stating that sideloading apps has the potential to be extremely problematic because apps would be hosted by a 3rd party who may not do their own checks to see if what they are hosting is legitimate or a virus/malicious app. The thing is, that could well be the case BUT the point that keeps on getting missed is when it comes to consumerism, the EU is all about customer choice, let the customer decide what is best for them, not the manufacturer. The problem the EU see's with Apple is that Apple is the one that gets to decide what is and is not good for the customer, the customer not being able to make their own choice(s).