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I cannot for the life of me understand how Apple's ironclad control over the hardware, OS, and App store isn't considered vastly worse than this.

by Wohlf 8y ago

ko27 8y ago
It's actually really simple. In the EU Apple doesn't have that much market share to be consider for antitrust laws.
- Wohlf 8y ago
  Fair enough.
- stefan_ 8y ago
  It doesn't even matter. If you start forcing other companies into contracts that say they may not use competitor Xs products, you will have an antitrust case on your ass regardless. And we have seen the same happen with Apples bookstore. They obviously weren't a monopoly in the past, then or now, but they started drawing up contracts with multiple companies that were meant to be competitors and facilitating collusion between them. That is always an antitrust violation.
mig39 8y ago
Apple is not a monopoly. You don't like Apple, you go elsewhere. In much of Europe, Android is the only choice.
- Wohlf 8y ago
  Everywhere I have been the options are Android, iPhone, or a feature phone. Are there actually places where the other two are not an option? Another commenter said it seems to be that Apple just doesn't have enough market share for anti-trust rules to kick in, which makes sense but also seems unsatisfying. A market dominating company being anti-consumer doesn't seem any worse than a smaller competitor being very anti-consumer, especially when that smaller competitor seems to be making much more money from their practices.
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    Most European countries use pre-paid, with iPhone only available with contracts or prices that many cannot afford to pay. So many times Android is the only option given budget options. Windows Phone used to be the alternative and was about 10% when Microsoft killed it.
- IshKebab 8y ago
  Rubbish. Apple sell their phones in all of Europe.
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    They try to sell it, but not all pockets can afford it, thus being the only choice around southern and east European countries.
  - mantas 8y ago
    It's enough that Android has massive market share to be monopoly. Back in MS monopoly times, there were alternatives too (Linux, Apple..).
delecti 8y ago
Google is enforcing their software on hardware made by other businesses by bundling things vendors want with things Google wants them to have. It's very similar to what got Microsoft in trouble in Europe. Apple can enforce or restrict whatever software they want on their own hardware. It's not even close to the same thing.

I cannot for the life of me understand how Apple's ironclad control over the hardware, OS, and App store isn't considered vastly worse than this.

by Wohlf 8y ago

I cannot for the life of me understand how Apple's ironclad control over the hardware, OS, and App store isn't considered vastly worse than this.

ko27 8y ago

It's actually really simple. In the EU Apple doesn't have that much market share to be consider for antitrust laws.

Wohlf 8y ago
Fair enough.
stefan_ 8y ago
It doesn't even matter. If you start forcing other companies into contracts that say they may not use competitor Xs products, you will have an antitrust case on your ass regardless. And we have seen the same happen with Apples bookstore. They obviously weren't a monopoly in the past, then or now, but they started drawing up contracts with multiple companies that were meant to be competitors and facilitating collusion between them. That is always an antitrust violation.

mig39 8y ago

Apple is not a monopoly. You don't like Apple, you go elsewhere. In much of Europe, Android is the only choice.

Wohlf 8y ago
Everywhere I have been the options are Android, iPhone, or a feature phone. Are there actually places where the other two are not an option? Another commenter said it seems to be that Apple just doesn't have enough market share for anti-trust rules to kick in, which makes sense but also seems unsatisfying. A market dominating company being anti-consumer doesn't seem any worse than a smaller competitor being very anti-consumer, especially when that smaller competitor seems to be making much more money from their practices.
- pjmlp 8y ago
  Most European countries use pre-paid, with iPhone only available with contracts or prices that many cannot afford to pay. So many times Android is the only option given budget options. Windows Phone used to be the alternative and was about 10% when Microsoft killed it.
IshKebab 8y ago
Rubbish. Apple sell their phones in all of Europe.
- pjmlp 8y ago
  They try to sell it, but not all pockets can afford it, thus being the only choice around southern and east European countries.
- mantas 8y ago
  It's enough that Android has massive market share to be monopoly. Back in MS monopoly times, there were alternatives too (Linux, Apple..).

delecti 8y ago

Google is enforcing their software on hardware made by other businesses by bundling things vendors want with things Google wants them to have. It's very similar to what got Microsoft in trouble in Europe. Apple can enforce or restrict whatever software they want on their own hardware. It's not even close to the same thing.