darelrex

Even if they fairly surveyed random members of the general public, that would include at least 50% Android users, many of whom would be overjoyed to see Apple products ruined, and all of Apple's customers forced to become Android users/developers. So what? Since when should a company's products' features be up for public vote? One of the great qualities of the modern economy is that people who like a particular product can buy it, and people who don't can go buy something else.

Hey, here's a fine idea: Let's put Epic Games up for public vote, and see what should be done with it. What rules should it have, how should it be managed, etc. And what does the voting public think of Tim Sweeney's $10 billion dollar personal fortune? Should it all go to Tim Sweeney, or should it be distributed equitably to the poorest 10% of the population? The public knows best — let them vote!

In any discussion of Apple's ATT, we should keep in mind that it is up to each individual user to decide whether to allow/disallow tracking, and they can make this choice for each individual app. As long as Apple's own apps respect that user decision as all iOS apps are required to do, then where is the special preferencing of Apple? Or is it just that Apple, as the creator/controller of its own platform, potentially can make that platform do anything it wants, while third parties cannot, and that is an unfair advantage in the eyes of power-mad regulators?

Wait, when was the last time investors threw $300M at a project that hinged entirely on the idea that we can easily take away Apple's successes? Oh yeah, that was Andy "Android" Rubin's "Essential" phone. All that money disappeared permanently, and if those investors had instead bought shares of Apple on Essential's founding date, their money would have tripled.

avon b7 said:

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This is about competition and access to standarised equipment (NFC).

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avon b7 said:

The user does not have that choice because they are never made aware of the limitations prior or at purchase. 

If they were, I could see Apple's problems in this area vanishing in one foul swoop but the EU would require them to spell out every single limitation in clear and simple language and make purchasers sign off on those limitations. 

I feel Apple would never go down that route though because many users (once made aware of the limitations) wouldn't accept them and that is the complete opposite of what many here constantly say. 

I doubt the EU would be satisfied if Apple just spelled out the differences between platforms when someone buys an iPhone. It wants to force Apple to eliminate those differences. And what about Android? "Ma'am, before you purchase this Android phone, we must inform you of this long list of problems on Android that don't exist on iPhone ..." Yeah, that'll happen.

Most people are aware of the differences — and when they're not, then Android gets the big advantage, because the shopper always sees the price.

And don't forget: People really can switch from one platform to the other, and often do.