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UK Revives Antitrust Probe Into Apple's Browser and Cloud Gaming Restrictions

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Apple faces a renewed comprehensive investigation into its dominance in mobile browsers and cloud gaming following a ruling by London's Court of Appeal (via Bloomberg). The court's decision effectively reverses a previous verdict that had halted the probe, reinforcing the authority of the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

app-store-blue-banner-uk-fixed.jpg

In November 2022, the CMA launched an investigation into the cloud gaming and mobile browser restrictions put in place by both Apple and Google, suggesting that the two companies were holding back innovation and increasing costs for web developers, cloud gaming service providers, and browser vendors. This decision was initially overturned by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which agreed with Apple that the CMA took too long to open an investigation.

The Court of Appeal's latest judgment clarified that the CMA acted within its legal bounds, rejecting Apple's argument regarding time limits. The ruling emphasized that such restrictions apply only to consultation processes within a market study and do not limit the CMA's broader investigative powers.

The court highlighted the CMA's role in promoting competition and safeguarding consumer interests, pointing out the potential "serious consequences" of restricting these powers. The CMA's investigation, which remains paused pending Apple's option of a Supreme Court appeal, is set to resume efforts to scrutinize the company's influence in the mobile browser market and its approach to cloud gaming on the App Store.

Article Link: UK Revives Antitrust Probe Into Apple's Browser and Cloud Gaming Restrictions
 
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https://www.macrumors.com/2023/11/30/uk-revives-antitrust-probe-into-apple-restrictions/
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NEPOBABY

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Jan 10, 2023
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Instead of this nonsense they should be investigating the Conservative Party for links to offshore based money laundering and crypto criminals. It's pretty well documented by now that money from human trafficking and other international crimes is being donated to their parties through series of shell companies.

All their talk about ending illegal immigrants is just a cover story to hide all the dirty money and slave labor that props up the UK's **** economy. Authorities are always selling new homes off to landlord's who don't even live in the country. Sucking the money out of the country and robbing everyone.
 
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nikusak

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Once Apple is forced to allow native third party browsing engines in iOS, Google’s victory in web engine technology will be nearly complete, as in practice Chromium/Blink and Safari/WebKit are the only ones remaining.

Amazing accomplishment from the regulators 😂
 
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Realityck

Realityck

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Only thing I care about is consistency with game availability for various platforms and price of games. They can monitor that all they want.
 
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W

webkit

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nikusak said:
Once Apple is forced to allow native third party browsing engines in iOS, Google’s victory in web engine technology will be nearly complete, as in practice Chromium/Blink and Safari/WebKit are the only ones remaining.

Amazing accomplishment from the regulators 😂
Click to expand...

The idea here is to allow users decide which browser engine they want to use on iOS instead of being forced to use WebKit. If Apple wants to see broader use of WebKit, perhaps more improvements to Safari and/or broader availability (Android, Windows, etc.) is the answer. Restricting browser engine choice on a major mobile OS is not the answer.
 
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Sophisticatednut

Sophisticatednut

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nikusak said:
Once Apple is forced to allow native third party browsing engines in iOS, Google’s victory in web engine technology will be nearly complete, as in practice Chromium/Blink and Safari/WebKit are the only ones remaining.

Amazing accomplishment from the regulators 😂
Click to expand...
And what’s the issue? It’s kind of apple’s problem if they can’t compete with blink, it’s not the government’s problem that Apple isn’t able to compete with a superior browser according to users. 🤷‍♂️

If Blink wins then consumers have voted on the best browser.
 
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Sophisticatednut

Sophisticatednut

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NEPOBABY said:
Instead of this nonsense they should be investigating the Conservative Party for links to offshore based money laundering and crypto criminals. It's pretty well documented by now that money from human trafficking and other international crimes is being donated to their parties through series of shell companies.

All their talk about ending illegal immigrants is just a cover story to hide all the dirty money and slave labor that props up the UK's **** economy. Authorities are always selling new homes off to landlord's who don't even live in the country. Sucking the money out of the country and robbing everyone.
Click to expand...
Agree completely, but that’s like asking the FDA to investigate the Republican Party.
 
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Analog Kid

Analog Kid

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Spaceboi Scaphandre said:
Because unlike us in the United States, Europe actually has proper consumer protection laws.
Click to expand...
If by proper protection, you mean reducing the scope of choice by undermining the minority platforms...

The only reason websites are made to cross-platform standards is because they need to be compatible with Safari for iPhone. If this succeeds, Chrome and all its many holes and flaws will be the only option we have.

1701367468935.png
 
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Spaceboi Scaphandre

Spaceboi Scaphandre

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Analog Kid said:
If by proper protection, you mean reducing the scope of choice by undermining the minority platforms...

The only reason websites are made to cross-platform standards is because they need to be compatible with Safari for iPhone. If this succeeds, Chrome and all its many holes and flaws will be the only option we have.
Click to expand...

Oh ye of little faith. You thought us in the world of FOSS didn't have an insurance policy for something like that? We got loads of compatibility modes to get past Chrome exclusive websites, some of which are present in the macOS web browser Orion.

1701368174070.jpeg​
 
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1129846

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Jay Tee said:
What is it with all this European insanity against Apple ? Entrenched interests can't compete fair and square with them, so get their governments to take them down a peg.

I tell you what: Steve would've pulled Apple out of Europe.
Click to expand...

Europe is not against apple but they have very strong regulation against abusing market position. They strongly regulated against big company using there raw size to keep competition out or companies using their market power to squeeze others outs. Basically take make it easier for a better mouse trap to get going and a foot hold.

This is fairly normal and Apple tends histority to abuse their position to squeeze others and Apple has massive market power hence why you are seeing it now.
 
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1129846

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nikusak said:
Once Apple is forced to allow native third party browsing engines in iOS, Google’s victory in web engine technology will be nearly complete, as in practice Chromium/Blink and Safari/WebKit are the only ones remaining.

Amazing accomplishment from the regulators 😂
Click to expand...

Why should Safari be force on users. Safari is only staying around because it is forced users on iOS to use it. This is the same reason why IE was so powerful is MS was able to force it on users and abused its position. It was the EU that forced some other changes that low and behold really allowed Firefox and Chrome to take off.

Apple on the other had has been lagging in improving Safari in much the same ways that MS lagged at improving IE. They used their market position to force a less browser.

I am sad that MS gave up on its own engine as they were one of the last hold outs forcing companies to make sure their pages were build to standards and worked across multiple browsers. The cost to from 1 to 2 broswers is huge. Going to 3+ vs 2 is not that much more for each new browser so you want 2 good players. Sadly Mobile safari and safari are lacking.
 
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djphat2000

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1129846 said:
Why should Safari be force on users. Safari is only staying around because it is forced users on iOS to use it. This is the same reason why IE was so powerful is MS was able to force it on users and abused its position. It was the EU that forced some other changes that low and behold really allowed Firefox and Chrome to take off.

Apple on the other had has been lagging in improving Safari in much the same ways that MS lagged at improving IE. They used their market position to force a less browser.

I am sad that MS gave up on its own engine as they were one of the last hold outs forcing companies to make sure their pages were build to standards and worked across multiple browsers. The cost to from 1 to 2 broswers is huge. Going to 3+ vs 2 is not that much more for each new browser so you want 2 good players. Sadly Mobile safari and safari are lacking.
Click to expand...
So you're ok with only having Chrome then.
 
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dwaite

dwaite

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Sophisticatednut said:
And what’s the issue? It’s kind of apple’s problem if they can’t compete with blink, it’s not the government’s problem that Apple isn’t able to compete with a superior browser according to users. 🤷‍♂️

If Blink wins then consumers have voted on the best browser.
Click to expand...
That assumes an open market. A substantial portion of the internet is already Blink-only, even with a major lucrative mobile platform not shipping Blink engine. That isn't a features problem in many cases, it is simply not testing or relying on the (many) Chrome features which are not web standards but rather proprietary extensions.

Consumers would not be choosing the browser they want. They'd be forced into the browser that major content providers chose for them.
 
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