Month: March 2024
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In what directions could the EU Commission’s ‘other investigatory steps’ concerning alternative app distribution go?
The EU Commission announced five full-blown DMA compliance investigations on Monday, and additionally mentioned “other investigatory steps” concerning, among other things, Apple’s terms for alternative app stores and direct web installs. What could that inquiry relate to and what are the outcome-determinative issues?
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EU commissioner Breton repeats threat of ‘heavy fines’ for DMA breaches: sign of strength, impatience or desperation?
EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton repeatedly stresses the risk of heavy fines if gatekeepers fail to comply with the Digital Markets Act. That message increasingly risks being conterproductive.
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EU Apple investigation aims to promote more choice between WebKit, WebKit and WebKit —cosmetics or opening salvo?
The scope of the European Commission’s browser choice investigation is limited. Instead of tackling the issue of how to enable browsers with alternative engines to compete, it focuses on (non-)choice.
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EU launches full-blown App Store, Google Play investigations under DMA: tidal change or tempest in teapot?
The EU Commission has shown its determination to enforce the Digital Markets Act by launching full-blown investigations of suspected non-compliance by Apple, Google and Meta. With respect to mobile app stores, nothing will change in the marketplace for a long time to come, however.
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Who will make more of an impact on Apple’s walled garden: the U.S. DOJ or the European Commission?
Context: On Monday (March 18), the European Commission (EC) held a Digital Markets Act (DMA) Enforcement Workshop for Apple (March 14, 2024 games fray article). Apple’s EU app rules have been criticized for not creating much of an opportunity for rival app stores and other non-Apple distribution methods. On Thursday (March 21), the United States…
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Group involving Disney says Apple ‘is engaging in reality distortion on the grandest possible scale’ regarding Epic’s injunction
According to a media industry body’s filing, “Apple’s late, legendary leader Steve Jobs was often said to have a ‘reality distortion field’ that kicked in whenever he committed his team to overcoming an obstacle. Apple […] is engaging in reality distortion on the grandest possible scale.”
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Agenda for EU Commission workshop on Apple’s (disputed) compliance with Digital Markets Act: Monday (3/18)
The European Commission has provided to register participants the agenda for the Apple DMA Compliance Workshop on Monday, March 18.
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Epic Games asks U.S. court to hold Apple in contempt, alleges “Apple’s so-called compliance is a sham”
Epic Games has filed a motion to enforce its U.S. anti-anti-steering injunction against Apple. That injunction was ordered in September 2021 and entered into force in January after the Supreme Court declined to take the case.
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Some arguments are stronger than others for Apple’s €0.50 per-install-per-year fee being illegal under the DMA
Context: Apple has announced it will soon allow web installs of some (not all) apps beyond the storefronts of alternative app stores (March 12, 2024 games fray article). The per-install per-year Core Technology Fee (CTF) of €0.50 will then also apply to some (still not all) apps installed from the web (beyond alternative app stores…
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Apple modifies EU terms to complicate DMA enforcement, allowing web installs but still not enabling true competition
Context: In January, Apple announced a set of new EU app distribution terms with a view to the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. Initially, Apple did not allow direct web installs (January 26, 2024 games fray article). Various details of Apple’s DMA compliance strategy have been in flux. Apple re-enabled home-screen web apps (March 1, 2024…