European Commission says Apple breaks competition rules and charges too much
Apple's practices with its App Store and the policies relating to it means that the company is in breach of European Union laws. The European Commission says that Apple fails to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The iPhone-maker has been criticized following an investigation by the Commission, and the findings say that App Store rules "prevent app developers from freely steering consumers to alternatives channels for offers and content".
EU opens non-compliance investigations against Apple, Alphabet, and Meta (but not Microsoft)
The European Commission announced today that it has opened non-compliance investigations against Apple, Alphabet, and Meta. The three companies make up one half of six gatekeeper companies under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
So-called gatekeepers have a strong position in a market, which may give them an unfair advantage over competing platforms and services. Platforms such as Windows, Google Android, and iOS are gatekeepers, but so are YouTube, Google Search, Google Ads, Chrome, or Safari. The full list of gatekeepers is available here.
Microsoft releases KB5035845 update for Windows 10, with security fixes, new Windows share features and more
Windows 10 users have a new security update to install in the form of the KB5035845 update. In addition to addressing a number of security issues, this mandatory update also kills the Windows Backup app for many people and introduces various other changes.
One of the most interesting additions to be found in the KB5035845 update are improvements to Windows share. There are also fixes for various issues in Windows 10 including Windows Hello problems.
Microsoft releases KB5035853 security update for Windows 11 fixing 0x800F0922 error and more
Microsoft has released a new security update for Windows 11. KB5035853 is a mandatory update which not only addresses security issues, but also introduces changes to make Windows 11 compliant with new DMA legislation in Europe.
On top of this, the update fixes the 0x800F0922 error which many people started to experience back in February. The KB5035853 update also features various other changes and additions such as the arrival of support for the USB 80Gbps standard.
Microsoft is rolling out new versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 to Europe
March 6 was an important day in the European Union as it marked the date on which the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force. The new legislation places numerous requirements on "gatekeepers" (defined as "large digital platforms providing so called core platform services"), and this has already seen Apple roll out a different version of iOS to the EU than to the rest of the world.
The DMA affects a lot of tech firms, including the likes of Google and Microsoft. With the new legislation having come into force, Microsoft has implemented compliance measures, and this includes rolling out DMA compliant versions of Windows 10 and 11 to users in the EU. The company has started this process and has explained what changes and differences this includes.
Europe now has a better version of iOS than the rest of the world
Apple has released iOS 17.4, with the company pointing to the arrival of podcast transcripts as the highlight. There are also new emoji, improvements to CarPlay, and a number of bug fixes, but things are rather more interesting for users in the European Union.
With the EU's Digital Market Act coming into force today, March 6, Apple has delivered different versions of iOS 17.4 to this market compared to the rest of the world. And by different, we mean better.
New European legislation may mean Apple introduces app sideloading globally in iOS 17
Apple has long taken a walled garden approach with so many of its products, but this is perhaps most apparent for iPhone users who are only able to install apps from the official App Store. But with the release of iOS 17, this looks set to change.
The ability to easily sideload apps from other sources is something that Apple customers have desired for years, and while the iPhone-maker seems on the verge of giving people what they want, it is not necessarily the case that the company is doing so willingly.
Google Play to allow app developers to use alternative billing systems in Europe
Google has announced that app developers in Europe -- and only Europe -- will be able to implement alternative billing systems for apps and games listed in Google Play.
On top of this, the company says that although any developer that does choose to use a different billing system will still be required to pay a service fee, it will be a reduced fee. The changes are in response to the recent Digital Markets Act.
Europe is getting tough on big tech -- when will the US do the same?
In March, the European Union (EU) took a significant step toward reining in Big Tech offenders with the Digital Markets Act. Targeting the gatekeepers of today’s digital economy, the law is a historic piece of legislation and is a critical next step in the broader fight to level the playing field.
However, this watershed moment has failed to reach the US, which continues to fall short in protecting consumers and innovative small businesses from predatory tech companies. Congress must stop playing catch up with Europe and take a leadership role to protect its constituents. Courage and cooperation across the aisle are needed to strengthen the laws that protect the majority. Big tech, their lobbyists, and those seeking to fund their next election are far too cozy as mega-companies continue to exploit their dominance and suppress innovation. The lack of US action is embarrassing, as our friends across the pond take decisive steps.
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