Tag: dma

iPad Brought Under EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple Must Comply With New Rules in 6 Months

Apple’s iPad has been added to a list of Big Tech products and services hit by strict new European Union rules aimed at stopping potential competition abuses before they take hold.

The move means Apple has six months to make sure its tablet ecosystem complies with a raft of preemptive measures under the EU’s flagship Digital Markets Act.

The company’s iOS mobile operating system, its App Store and Safari browser are already targeted by the law — but Apple has challenged its designation for certain services to the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg, with hearings set to take place later this year.

The EU’s decision to draw iPad under the scope of the DMA will ensure that fairness and competition are preserved, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. She said that despite not meeting all the thresholds for being earmarked, an investigation showed that “iPadOS constitutes an important gateway on which many companies rely to reach their customers.”

The decision is a loss for Cupertino, California-based Apple, which will have to adapt its operating system to meet a swathe of new obligations and prohibitions, including allowing iPad users to download apps from beyond Apple’s confines as well as being able to uninstall apps preloaded onto devices.

An Apple spokesperson said that the company remains focused on delivering for European consumers, “while mitigating the new privacy and data security risks the DMA poses.”

The EU’s DMA strikes at the heart of the business models of six of the world’s most powerful technology firms deemed to be digital “gatekeepers.” Aside from Apple, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet’s Google, Amazon.com and TikTok owner ByteDance have all been targeted for new obligations aimed at preventing them from abusing their dominance.

Under the law — which came into full effect on March 7 — it is illegal for designated firms to favor their own services over those of rivals. They are also barred from combining personal data across their different services, prohibited from using data they collect from third-party merchants to compete against them, and have to allow users to download apps from rivals platforms.

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Altstore PAL With Annual Subscription, Free Delta Nintendo Emulator Launched in Europe

Altstore PAL was launched in Europe on Wednesday as the first third party iPhone app store — or alternative app marketplace, as Apple calls it. Users who live in Europe and want to access apps that are not available via the official App Store, can now install Altstore PAL after updating their iPhone to iOS 17.4. However, thanks to Apple’s mandatory Core Technology Fee (CTF), customers will have to pay a small annual fee to access the first third-party app store to arrive in the region.

Developer Riley Testut shared details of the Altstore PAL app marketplace in a blog post, stating that the open source app currently offers two applications — a Nintendo emulator called Delta and Clip, a clipboard manager. The former will be free to download via Altstore PAL, while the latter will require a minimum donation of EUR 1 (roughly Rs. 90) or more, according to the developer.

The new Altstore PAL won’t have Apple’s content restrictions (you can’t download a torrent client or via Apple’s App Store on iOS) and will also allow developers to distribute apps with Patreon, by specifying a minimum pledge amount that unlocks access to an app. Testut says the platform won’t take commissions on donations received via Patreon, and developers can use the Patreon income to pay Apple’s CTF fee that kicks in after 1 million downloads.

In order to install Altstore PAL, users who live in the EU will need to update their iPhone to iOS 17.4, then pay EUR 1.50 (roughly Rs. 135) — an annual subscription that allows the project to pay Apple’s CTF, Testut says. Users who don’t want to fork out the annual fee as well as those who live outside the EU) can sideload apps using a computer (using the original Altstore app) and refreshing them every seven days.

Unlike users, developers won’t have to pay to host their apps on Altstore PAL, and there’s no commission for Patreon donations. Testut says that once Apple has notarised an app, the processed “alternative distribution packet” (ADP) must be uploaded to the developer’s server. They must then create and upload a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file that contains metadata about the app, so that users can include the same source in the Altstore PAL app to begin downloading and updating that app.  

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Apple’s New Guidelines Now Allow Game Emulators on App Store

Apple has come under scrutiny in the European Union for its strict App Store rules that restrict external payment options, sideloading of apps and more. The iPhone maker and other tech giants like Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and more, however, have had to bring in several changes to their policies since the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect for the companies in March. Now, Apple will allow game emulator apps on the App Store.

The Cupertino, California based company has established strict guidelines for software hosted on its app storefront. Game emulators, which allow a device to run video games released on a different platform by emulating the hardware of the platform, were not allowed on App Store. In its latest App Review Guidelines, however, Apple confirmed that it will allow developers to make and distribute emulation software on its App Store globally.

Apple announced the development in the “Mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and game emulators” section of the guidelines. “Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games,” the company said. A report in 9to5Mac also said that Apple sent an email to developers confirming the change.

The company, however, added that developers would be responsible for the emulation software offered in the app and would need to ensure that it complies with Apple’s guidelines and applicable laws. Apps that fail to comply with the rules will be rejected from being hosted on the App Store.

It is still unclear if the App Store will allow third-party emulation software applications that run retro games from publishers like Nintendo, Sega and others on the platform. Game publishers have historically cracked down on emulators that run their games on other devices.

As part of its new app guidelines, Apple will now also allow music streaming apps like Spotify to provide a link to users, directing them to their own website for purchases. Apple users in European Economic Area can provide their email address to music streaming apps to receive a link to the developer’s website to make payments for digital services.

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Apple Could Be Forced to Let iPhone Users Uninstall Photos App in Europe: Report

Apple has reportedly found itself in hot water with the European Union (EU) again. Earlier this year, the EU brought the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into effect with a deadline of March 6. Among many user-centric policies, the act also required consumer tech companies to focus on interoperability and offer an open ecosystem where users have a choice in picking a particular app in a device as the default. While Apple added support for alternative app marketplaces and allowed third-party browsers to run their engine to comply with the act, the EU believes the Photos app is still in violation.

On March 25, the European Commission (EC) opened a non-compliance investigation against Apple, Google, and Meta. For Apple, three reasons were listed in the press release which stated, “The Commission has opened proceedings against Apple regarding their measures to comply with obligations to (i) enable end users to easily uninstall any software applications on iOS, (ii) easily change default settings on iOS and (iii) prompt users with choice screens which must effectively and easily allow them to select an alternative default service, such as a browser or search engine on their iPhones.”

According to a report by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, part one of the above-stated reasons refers to the Photos app. Gruber highlights this from the remarks of EC’s Executive Vice President, Margrethe Vestager. She said, “Apple also failed to make several apps un-installable (one of them would be Photos) and prevents end-users from changing their default status (for example Cloud), as required by the DMA.”

Allowing users to delete the Photos app might be tricky for the iPhone maker. As Gruber pointed out in the report, Apple’s system apps are deeply integrated into the operating system. The Photos app, for example, is not just an app to see the photos in the gallery but also serves the purpose of granting third-party apps different levels of access to it to enhance security. The Photos app is also integrated with iCloud and allows users to share selected albums or the entire gallery with other users. To make the Photos app uninstallable and allow a third-party gallery app with the same access might require Apple to re-engineer the entire iOS itself.

With the non-compliance case now open, the EC intends to conclude the proceedings within 12 months. Apple will now have to undergo an investigation where if the regulators do not give justifiable reasons for not making the app uninstallable, Apple might have to pay up to 20 percent of its total worldwide revenue in fines. The EC highlights that in cases of systematic infringements, it may also oblige the gatekeeper (the consumer tech company) to sell a business or parts of it, or ban it from acquiring additional services related to the non-compliance.

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Google, Apple and Meta to Face First Digital Markets Act Probes in the EU

Apple, Alphabet’s Google and Meta Platforms will be investigated for potential breaches of the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, European antitrust regulators said on Monday, potentially leading to hefty fines for the companies.

The European Union law, effective from March 7, aims to challenge the power of the tech giants by making it easier for people to move between competing online services like social media platforms, internet browsers and app stores. That should in turn open up space for smaller companies to compete.

Violations could result in fines of as much as 10% of the companies’ global annual turnover.

U.S. antitrust regulators are also challenging Big Tech over alleged anti-competitive practices in a crackdown that could even lead to companies being broken up.

Tech companies say they have deployed thousands of engineers to meet a Digital Markets Act requirement that six “gatekeepers” – which provide services like search engines and chat apps used by other businesses – give users and rivals more choices.

But the European Commission said on Monday it suspected that the measures taken fall short of effective compliance under the DMA, confirming a Reuters story.

Asked if the Commission was rushing the process just two weeks after the act kicked in, EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the investigations should not be a surprise.

“The law is the law. We can’t just sit around and wait,” he told a press conference.

Apple compliance

At issue is whether Apple complies with obligations to allow users to easily uninstall software applications on its iOS operating system, to change default settings on iOS or access choice screens allowing them to switch to a rival browser or search engine on iPhones.

Another concern for regulators is “steering”: whether Apple imposes limitations that hinder app developers from informing users about offers outside its App Store free of charge.

Apple said it was confident its plan complied with the DMA, adding that it had shown responsiveness to the Commission and developers throughout the process and incorporated their feedback into its changes.

Regulators say the anti-steering issue also applies to Alphabet. The investigation will examine whether it favours its vertical search engines such as Google Shopping, Google Flights and Google Hotels over rivals, and whether it discriminates against third-party services on Google search results.

Fees or no fees

The Commission also singled out Apple and Alphabet’s fee structures, saying they went against the DMA’s “free of charge” requirement. Both companies recently introduced new fees for some services.

Breton said Meta, which introduced a no-ads subscription service in Europe last November that has triggered criticism from rivals and users, should offer free alternative options.

A Meta spokesperson said the company was endeavouring to comply with the act’s guidance.

“Subscriptions as an alternative to advertising are a well-established business model across many industries, and we designed Subscription for No Ads to address several overlapping regulatory obligations, including the DMA,” the spokesperson said.

Google said it has made significant changes to its services and would defend its approach in the coming months.

The Commission is also taking steps to investigate Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace.

Amazon is another DMA “gatekeeper”, along with Microsoft and TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance.

“Amazon is compliant with the Digital Markets Act and has engaged constructively with the European Commission on our plans since the designation of two of our services,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “We continue to work hard every day to meet all of our customers’ high standards within Europe’s changing regulatory environment.”

The EU executive, which aims to wrap up the investigations within a year, the timeframe set out under the DMA, said it has ordered the companies to retain certain documents, allowing them to access relevant information in its current and future probes.

The EU investigations came amid escalating criticism from apps developers and business users about shortcomings in the companies’ compliance efforts.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Google Said to Add New Pixel Launcher Setting in Europe to Let Users Change Default Search Engine

Google Pixel smartphone users in Europe have reported seeing an option to change the default search engine. The option has been said to appear within the settings of Pixel Launcher, the default launcher for all Pixel smartphones. It is said that the option to change the search engine was offered by the tech giant to comply with the European Union’s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA) that recently came into effect. Notably, Apple also added support for alternative app marketplaces and allowed third-party browsers to run their browser engine to comply with the act.

The information was shared by tipster Mishaal Rahman on X (formerly known as Twitter). Based on screenshots shared by a Mastodon user, Rahman said, “One user tells me they received a notification from the Search Engine Selector app to choose their search engine. After changing the search provider, the search bar’s icon is updated to reflect the user’s choice of provider.” The notification was also confirmed by several other Europe-based Pixel phone users.

Clicking on the notification will reportedly take a user to a new setting option called Search Engine. To manually access it, users can go to Pixel Launcher’s Settings > *Home screen search settings > Search Engine*. Once a user enters the menu, a message states, “Select the app you’ll use to search the web. This will affect search and content on your home screen”.

Underneath the message, users will reportedly see all the search engines they have installed on their phones. Some of the popular search engines besides Google are Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Perplexity AI.

Recently, Google posted a blog post where it detailed how it will be complying with the new regulations. The tech giant said it implemented more than 20 product changes in search results and added an option to choose whether users want to share their data across Google services or not. It also mentioned that it will soon add an “additional choice screen” to let users change the default search engine or browser. Based on the tipster’s information, it appears Google has begun rolling out this feature. However, it is yet to be expanded to non-Pixel Android phones.

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Apple Plans to Make Switching from iPhone to Android Easier, Shares Timeline

Apple is working on a solution that will make it easier to switch from an iPhone to an Android smartphone. The company has published a new document detailing the list of changes it has already made, such as adding support for alternative app marketplaces and allowing third-party browsers to run their browser engine to comply with the European Union’s (EU) Digital Marketing Act (DMA) which recently came into effect. It also shared its plans to add more interoperability features including uninstalling the Safari browser, transferring data between different browsers, and more.

In a 12-page document, Apple highlighted the progress it has made to comply with DMA. The tech giant also shared features it is currently working on. The most notable is the migration solution that will help users easily switch from an iPhone to an Android phone. The document stated, “Apple is developing a solution that helps mobile operating system providers develop more user-friendly solutions to transfer data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone.” This feature will be available in the second half of 2025.

Another thing iPhone users will soon be able to do is fully uninstall the Safari browser. The tech giant has already allowed users to remove pre-installed apps from the Home Screen. “ Apple also plans to enable users to completely delete Safari from iOS, should they wish to do so. Apple aims to make this option available by the end of 2024.”

Notably, Apple’s native browser engine Webkit powers Safari browser. All third-party browsers in the App Store also have to use it as the foundation to build their app which is why all third-party browsers look and function similar to Safari. This is one of the reasons why letting users uninstall Safari is tricky for the iPhone maker compared to other similar apps and explains the longer duration taken by the company to implement it.

Further, Apple is also working on a browser-switching solution that can be an extremely convenient tool for those who want to try new browsers but find letting go of all the saved bookmarks, passwords and site data difficult. The company said, “Apple is also creating a browser switching solution for exporting and importing relevant browser data into another browser on the same device.” This feature will be available by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025.

All of these features are definitely coming for the users living in the Bloc, but it is not certain if other regions where DMA is not applicable will also get them.

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Apple Blocks Fortnite Maker Epic Games From Launching Its Own iOS Store in EU

Apple escalated its feud with Epic Games on Wednesday, blocking the Fortnite video-game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe.

The two companies have been in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple’s practice of charging up to 30 percent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated US antitrust rules.

The latest challenge from Epic comes as Apple struggles with concerns about tepid demand for its iPhones in China, and its stock has tumbled 12 percent so far this year, underperforming its big tech peers in the US Its shares were largely unchanged on Wednesday.

Attempts by regulators and competitors such as Epic to pave the way for rival marketplaces on Apple’s devices are a major threat to the Silicon Valley heavyweight’s profits and control of its own ecosystem.

European lawmakers are forcing Apple to allow those third-party marketplaces with a law called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that takes effect this week.

Separately, Brussels antitrust regulators on Monday fined Apple EUR 1.84 billion ($2 billion or roughly Rs. 16,547 crore) for thwarting competition from music streaming rivals via restrictions on its App Store, Apple’s first ever penalty for breaching EU rules.

Epic was working to take advantage of the DMA, but Apple blocked those efforts on Wednesday, citing Epic’s past breaches of contract in the long-running legal dispute.

Apple terminated a new developer account that Epic had created in Sweden. Epic had created the account in an effort to put Fortnite and other games back on iPhones in Europe by running its own game store on Apple’s devices. Apple must allow third-party stores on its devices, under the new European law.

The developer accounts are important because software creators cannot distribute apps to iPhones and iPads without one. Apple had previously terminated some of Epic’s developer accounts in 2020, after Epic purposely broke Apple’s in-app payment rules, using its violation of the rules and subsequent banishment from the App Store as the core of public relations and legal campaign against Apple.

Apple said on Wednesday the court rulings have made clear that it has “sole discretion” to terminate any Epic Games developer account in light of its “egregious” breaches of the company’s developer agreements.

“In light of Epic’s past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right” to terminate Epic Games’ account, Apple said.

Epic alleged that by terminating its account, Apple was removing one of the largest potential competitors to the Apple App Store.

“This is a serious violation of the DMA and shows Apple has no intention of allowing true competition on iOS devices,” Epic Games said.

The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple in January proposed certain changes ahead of a March 7 deadline to comply with certain conditions of the DMA, a legislation meant to make it easier for European users to move between competing services.

The company said it would allow alternative app stores on iPhones and an opt-out from using the in-app payments system, but set a “core technology fee” of 50 euro cents per user account per year for developers who sign up for the new regime.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Apple Modifies Proposed App Store Changes to Comply With New EU Rules After Criticism From Developers

Apple has modified some of its proposals to comply with landmark EU tech rules after criticism from app developers, including dropping a demand that those who want to create alternative app marketplaces must have a stand-by letter of credit.

The company and five other tech giants have to comply by March 7 with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which sets out a list of dos and don’ts aimed at reining in their power and creating a level playing field for rivals and more choices for users.

Apple had in January announced proposals which allow software developers to distribute their apps to users in the European Union outside of Apple’s own App Store, as well as new fees and conditions.

The iPhone maker said one change will now allow developers to sign up to the new terms announced two months ago at the developer account level.

“We’ve removed the corporate entity requirement that the Addendum must be signed by each membership that controls, is controlled by, or is under control with another membership,” Apple said on its website late Tuesday.

It also created a one-time option for developers to terminate the Addendum under certain circumstances and switch back to Apple’s standard business terms for their EU apps.

Lastly, it scrapped a demand for a letter of credit from developers who want to create a rival app marketplace and introduced two eligibility criteria.

“A developer may operate an alternative app marketplace if their account has been in existence for two years and they have an established app business in the EU with more than 1 million First Annual Installs,” Apple said.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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WhatsApp’s Third-Party Chats Feature Will Uphold End-to-End Encryption, Reveals Meta

WhatsApp will take some more time to bring third-party chats feature to users, Meta explained on Wednesday. As per the European Union’s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA), which went live on March 6, platforms are required to offer messaging interoperability in individual conversations in the region within three months. However, Meta said it will take the messaging platform more than the allotted time, citing limitations in implementing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) architecture for third-party providers. The company also said that features such as group chats as well as audio and video calling will only be possible after 2024.

In a detailed post, Meta highlighted the workings of its interoperability features, its plans to work with other messaging platforms, and the limitations that are stopping it from adding the feature for users within the given time frame. The tech giant said that it has been building a safety and privacy-centric process for interoperability for nearly two years and has consulted the European Commission.

According to the social media giant, the technical challenges with interoperability are the main reason for the delay. However, it is targeting that by the end of the year, it will be able to implement individual text messaging, voice messages, as well as the sharing of images, videos, and other attached files between end users. While it did not provide a timeline, Meta mentioned that implementing group chats and calling features remains in its plans.

To make interoperability possible with WhatsApp, third-party providers will need to sign an agreement to enable third-party chats. “In order to maximise user security, we would prefer third-party providers to use the Signal Protocol. Since this has to work for everyone however, we will allow third-party providers to use a compatible protocol if they are able to demonstrate it offers the same security guarantees as Signal,” Meta added.

Delving into the technicalities, the post explained that WhatsApp uses the Noise Protocol Framework to encrypt all data between the end user and the servers. As a part of the protocol, third-party providers will need to perform something the company calls ‘Noise Handshake’, which describes the process of providing a payload to the server along with the JWT Token.

As part of the Noise Protocol, the third-party client must perform a “Noise Handshake” every time the client connects to the WhatsApp server. Part of this Handshake is providing a payload to the server which also contains the JSON Web Token (JWT Token). It is a proposed standard to create data with the option to add signature and encryption. This will be the key to connecting with WhatsApp’s servers.

Meanwhile, Meta also said that while it will take responsibility for E2EE while the data is in WhatsApp’s servers and in transit, it cannot ensure the same once the data has been received by the third-party client.

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