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They tried and lost. They can threaten all they want. The EU would let them and good riddance as far as we're concerned. But there is this pesky notion that it'

They tried and lost. They can threaten all they want. The EU would let them and good riddance as far as we're concerned. But there is this pesky notion that it's a huge market and Apple earns a lot of money there. So, they really can't walk away from that. For the same reason they play by Chinese rules in China. Because it's a big market and they need to be in on that as well. And if you think the EU is picky, the Chinese are much worse. And of course there's a whole world outside the EU and China that is paying attention as well. Apple's negotiation position simply is not that strong. It has no real leverage. And Apple as a US only company would not be anywhere near it's current size and importance. Share holders would revolt. R&D investment would implode. It has to be an international company for it to justify its share price. So, it has to adjust and can't afford to exit markets. It has no choice.

rootusrootus 3y ago
> The EU would let them and good riddance as far as we're concerned. But there is this pesky notion that it's a huge market and Apple earns a lot of money there. So, they really can't walk away from that. Does that not seem contradictory to you? If it's a huge market they make a lot of money in, then there's by definition a lot of people who don't think "good riddance" if they leave. Apple has more leverage than you give them credit for.
- alangibson 3y ago
  American living in Europe here. in the EU, you can't just apply economic logic to everything like you can in the US. Policymakers will absolutely piss off a huge number of people over some basic principle. Look for instance at Germany's willingness to burn it's industrial base to the ground over Ukraine.
  - geoka9 3y ago
    I would argue it's not (just) over Ukraine that Germany has finally decided to wean itself off the unrealistically cheap natural gas from Russia. In fact, the writing has been on the wall for decades; Russian leadership never made a big secret out of the fact that they considered their gas industry a geopolitical weapon. It took a big scare and popular demand to stop the wholesale selling out of the German political class to Russia.
  - Longhanks 3y ago
    > Policymakers will absolutely piss off a huge number of people over some basic principle. ...which is why a lot of countries are shifting to the right, people are fed up with policymakers ignoring the public will. (Examples: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy - next up: Germany in 2025, maybe France..?)
  - t43562 3y ago
    They only do that because it has worked for them. They've done it and survived, which makes me think they haven't actually pissed off that many people.

rootusrootus 3y ago

> The EU would let them and good riddance as far as we're concerned. But there is this pesky notion that it's a huge market and Apple earns a lot of money there. So, they really can't walk away from that. Does that not seem contradictory to you? If it's a huge market they make a lot of money in, then there's by definition a lot of people who don't think "good riddance" if they leave. Apple has more leverage than you give them credit for.

alangibson 3y ago
American living in Europe here. in the EU, you can't just apply economic logic to everything like you can in the US. Policymakers will absolutely piss off a huge number of people over some basic principle. Look for instance at Germany's willingness to burn it's industrial base to the ground over Ukraine.
- geoka9 3y ago
  I would argue it's not (just) over Ukraine that Germany has finally decided to wean itself off the unrealistically cheap natural gas from Russia. In fact, the writing has been on the wall for decades; Russian leadership never made a big secret out of the fact that they considered their gas industry a geopolitical weapon. It took a big scare and popular demand to stop the wholesale selling out of the German political class to Russia.
- Longhanks 3y ago
  > Policymakers will absolutely piss off a huge number of people over some basic principle. ...which is why a lot of countries are shifting to the right, people are fed up with policymakers ignoring the public will. (Examples: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy - next up: Germany in 2025, maybe France..?)
- t43562 3y ago
  They only do that because it has worked for them. They've done it and survived, which makes me think they haven't actually pissed off that many people.