4 ms·

At least in the American system, as long as people have an alternative computing platform (and they have several), there aren't a lot of backstops on what Apple

At least in the American system, as long as people have an alternative computing platform (and they have several), there aren't a lot of backstops on what Apple can do to its users in terms of money charged or constraints placed on the devices they manufacture. The market is "computers" and if Apple tightens its grip too far, they run people off to another solution. Everything else is economics as far as the American system is concerned.

smoldesu 4y ago
In the American system, you're right. Apple is an international company though, and if enough countries insist that Apple play fair, how can they deny them? The American system led us to a situation where Apple's global presence is exploitative. If Apple wants to get increasingly petty with their compliance, global regulators are apt to get increasingly petty with their regulation. Considering how Apple shrugged off Dutch regulators, it shouldn't surprise people when EU commissions move in with bigger demands. If those demands are unreasonable, then maybe Apple can run off to another market. Nobody will stop you from framing this as a free market issue, but it's a comically small piece of the puzzle.
- shadowgovt 4y ago
  As long as Apple's a US company, the US law will dominate its actions because they might make less money in the world but the world won't jail them (well, can't jail anyone who really matters to the owners). If they think they can keep providing a better alternative with a heavy hand, they will, right up to regulation constraints. This leaves us with your previous observaation > If Apple won't do what's right, then we'll be forced to. And I agree. And in a (mostly) free-market system structure like the US, the solution is obvious... There's a reason I haven't used Apple as my primary compute platform for approximately 15 years.

smoldesu 4y ago

In the American system, you're right. Apple is an international company though, and if enough countries insist that Apple play fair, how can they deny them? The American system led us to a situation where Apple's global presence is exploitative. If Apple wants to get increasingly petty with their compliance, global regulators are apt to get increasingly petty with their regulation. Considering how Apple shrugged off Dutch regulators, it shouldn't surprise people when EU commissions move in with bigger demands. If those demands are unreasonable, then maybe Apple can run off to another market. Nobody will stop you from framing this as a free market issue, but it's a comically small piece of the puzzle.

shadowgovt 4y ago
As long as Apple's a US company, the US law will dominate its actions because they might make less money in the world but the world won't jail them (well, can't jail anyone who really matters to the owners). If they think they can keep providing a better alternative with a heavy hand, they will, right up to regulation constraints. This leaves us with your previous observaation > If Apple won't do what's right, then we'll be forced to. And I agree. And in a (mostly) free-market system structure like the US, the solution is obvious... There's a reason I haven't used Apple as my primary compute platform for approximately 15 years.