urahara

lkrupp said:

Simplest solution? Make the charger a $30 option at the time of  ordering or purchase, just like other accessories. Those who don't need one will not have to pay for something they don’t need. Those who don't have a drawer full of chargers taking up space can buy one from Apple or whoever. If some regulator wants to force the issue then up the price of the iPhone by the MSRP of the charger. There is no such thing as free or included. Everything has a price.

I hope Apple ups the price of iPhones in Brazil to compensate for the mandated charger.

JFC_PA said:

Validating why my WiFi is disabled before I leave home. 

crowley said:

mac voyer said:

GeorgeBMac said:

mac voyer said:

GeorgeBMac said:

People like free stuff.  But there is no free lunch.   Only freeloaders.

I don't understand what it is Apple has done to be called a freeloader. They do not make the tax laws in France. They pay every penny of tax they are ordered by law to pay. I have no problem with France saying they need more money in taxes. But I do have a problem with demonizing companies for not paying their fair share. Again, they do pay their fair share according to current laws. Do you think Apple should look at their current tax bill and volunteer to pay more because it is just not enough? What could they have done to not be a freeloader in your eyes? 

The problem is that international companies have been doing business in other countries but not paying taxes to them.  Instead they create fake headquarters in tax havens and only pay minimal taxes to those places -- not where they are actually making their profits.  To say they are paying what is legally required of them is technically true -- but ignores how they've been gaming the system.

European countries have tired of being taken advantage of by international companies (mostly other than Apple).

Those loopholes were not put there by Apple or any other company. They were put there by the governments to give tax breaks to their cronies. Apple is playing the game board and pieces they inherited. Change the tax code. Don't vilify companies for using it to their advantage. 

The loopholes are exactly that, holes.  They were not "put there" at all, they exist as a consequence of international tax law being really, really complicated, and cooperation between countries being hard.  Companies with the resources to do so are able to take advantage of gaps or misalignments between countries.

That's the situation that France and the EU in general are trying to remedy - address the outright tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions, and reduce or mitigate the issues of gaps between tax systems by focusing on sales territories and minimum tax levels rather than the country where the profit is booked.

Will it work?  Probably not 100%.  Will it be fair?  Probably not 100%.  It is necessary to stop tax avoidance by very rich companies and individuals?  100%.