Apple shouldn't use privacy & security to stave off competition, EU antitrust head warns
Responding to comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook in June, European Union competition chief Margrethe Vestager said that Apple shouldn't use privacy and security concerns to stifle competition on the App Store.
Credit: WikiMedia Commons
Vestager, the European Commission's executive vice president, has proposed regulations that could force Apple to allow alternate app stores. Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke out against the proposal, stating that they could threaten the privacy and security of iOS.
In an interview with Reuters, Vestager agreed with Cook that privacy and security are important factors for consumers, but warned the Cupertino tech giant against using concerns about them to fend off competition.
"I think privacy and security is of paramount importance to everyone," Vestager said. "The important thing here is, of course, that it's not a shield against competition, because I think customers will not give up neither security nor privacy if they use another app store or if they sideload."
Vestager added that she was open to changes in her proposals, which need input from EU member states and lawmakers before it can become law.
"I think that it is possible to find solutions to this," Vestager said.
Sideloading, or app distribution outside of the official iOS App Store, has also been a talking point in antitrust debates in the U.S. -- including during the Epic Games v. Apple trial. Apple in June released a report describing why it's against sideloading on its own platforms.
The EU competition chief told Reuters that recent privacy changes to iOS, including App Tracking Transparency, aren't currently an antitrust target. In fact, she praised Apple's new privacy controls.
"As I have said, I think actually several times, that it is a good thing when providers give us the service that we can easily set our preferences if we want to be tracked outside the use of an app or not as long as it's the same condition for everyone," Vestager added. "So far, we have no reason to believe that this is not the case for Apple."
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
Credit: WikiMedia Commons
Vestager, the European Commission's executive vice president, has proposed regulations that could force Apple to allow alternate app stores. Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke out against the proposal, stating that they could threaten the privacy and security of iOS.
In an interview with Reuters, Vestager agreed with Cook that privacy and security are important factors for consumers, but warned the Cupertino tech giant against using concerns about them to fend off competition.
"I think privacy and security is of paramount importance to everyone," Vestager said. "The important thing here is, of course, that it's not a shield against competition, because I think customers will not give up neither security nor privacy if they use another app store or if they sideload."
Vestager added that she was open to changes in her proposals, which need input from EU member states and lawmakers before it can become law.
"I think that it is possible to find solutions to this," Vestager said.
Sideloading, or app distribution outside of the official iOS App Store, has also been a talking point in antitrust debates in the U.S. -- including during the Epic Games v. Apple trial. Apple in June released a report describing why it's against sideloading on its own platforms.
The EU competition chief told Reuters that recent privacy changes to iOS, including App Tracking Transparency, aren't currently an antitrust target. In fact, she praised Apple's new privacy controls.
"As I have said, I think actually several times, that it is a good thing when providers give us the service that we can easily set our preferences if we want to be tracked outside the use of an app or not as long as it's the same condition for everyone," Vestager added. "So far, we have no reason to believe that this is not the case for Apple."
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
Comments
* by which I mean EU citizens, which I sadly am no longer counted among, but some of the effect remains.
In case you don't understand what she was saying it's that privacy and security and having access to 3rd party app stores does not need to be mutually exclusive in her opinion.
Translation: "I don't know how any of this works, but because I say it's not a problem it won't be a problem."
Once again, the competition here lives at the device level.
1. If you want a device that allows you to side load apps, There is a robust cornucopia of devices available that run on various iterations of Android.
2. If you want a device that prevents side-loading apps as an increased security measure built into the system, you can buy an Apple device.
If Apple is forced to adopt an open-platform OS model, then option #2 disappears. That's less consumer choice, not more.
Facts are facts Vestager… reality is reality… u cant wish them away just because ‘u dont think so‘ !
I recently paid over $700 for two duplicate keys (Smart keys) for my wife's Mercedes.
It seems for security reasons, the software needed to make a Mercedes smart key is proprietary and only a Mercedes dealer has access to it. So even the most well equipped locksmith specializing in making duplicate auto smart keys, can not make one for a Mercedes.
Not only this, for security reasons, not even the Mercedes dealers keep any blank keys in stock. They have to order the key from the factory and this might be from Germany. So it's a 3 to 7 days wait, after paying for the order.
Plus one need to show ID and registration in order to make a duplicate Mercedes key. Even if you have the original key in hand. And the owner might even have to drive the Mercedes in, if the dealer needs access to the car computer in order to program the key. Mercedes is very concern about security.
And the chip in a Mercedes key is also proprietary and can only be flashed once. So even if one buy a used key of the same year and model off eBay for less than $30, the key can not be reprogramed to work on another Mercedes. This even if one got access to the software and the know how.
So it cost me $350 to program a new duplicate key at a Mercedes dealer and $175 for the blank key. Which took 5 days to arrive. I had two keys made as i would not need to pay for the the $350 programing on the second key (if made at the same time). All this for a Mercedes my wife bought from a friend, for less than $1000 (That came with only one key.).
I would like to see Vestager look into how Mercedes, which is HQed in Germany, is limiting competition by only having one source (a Mercedes dealer) from where Mercedes owners can buy keys for their Mercedes. And at a cost that is more than twice what most other car makers charges. All for the reason of ..... "security".
Using the definition of a "monopoly" some are applying to Apple with iOS users, Mercedes can be said to have a "monopoly" with Mercedes owners as they only have one choice from where they can buy their Mercedes keys from.
I have a Safari extension that hides the modal <div> so no more badly implemented EU guff. Whilst I agree with the GDPR, if the EU had any foresight they would have realised how annoying these popups would be, and they would have legislated on several web-related aspects to combat it. Of course we have to remember Eurocrats are mostly politicians who were rejected by their own country's citizens, failures and has-beens who are of course gladly welcomed by their deficient brethren into the EU Commission's bosom; so we really can't expect much.
Anyway, those aspects:
But of course they didn't, and here we are.
Also, the UK voted to leave the EU 5 years ago, get over it.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/selling-in-eu/competition-between-businesses/anti-competitive-behaviour/index_en.htm
Now if I were a locksmith in the EU, that link might be of help.