The European Union’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a complex, many-legged beast, but at root, it is a regulation that aims to make it easier for the public to control the technology they use and rely on. One DMA rule forces the powerful “gatekeeper” tech companies to allow third-party app stores...
To this articles question on why apple should care about EUs 500 million citizens when they have trillions of Dollars. Well given that the USA only has 333 millions I would say they should care a lot.
source
As the second largest revenue generator, Europe has a powerful voice.
25% less revenue is 25% revenue lost. I don’t think the shareholders would welcome that.
The EU is only one chunk of Apple’s “Europe” segment, which is defined as “European countries, as well as India, the Middle East and Africa.”
And I think a lot of that revenue is in the Middle East to be honest. Those are poorer parts of the world, but with very bad culture of demonstrative consumption.
Still, how big this is for Apple is important only for Apple users. While creating a culture of not fucking around is important for everyone.
So I’d say the EU should cut Apple down right now. They’ve made a lot of bad faith and faux compliance actions. Just ban them. I’m confident there’s much more than one reason justifying that legally. No, that company doesn’t help innovation, education and whatever else.
I’d heard Apple Maps was bad, but I didn’t know it was that bad.
Most companies group MENA separately. They must sell so few devices there that they don’t want to show the numbers separately
They’ve used the same segments for a long time and presumably maintain them for consistency, so I think it really just tells us that they used to sell very little there. India, in particular, has been a large growth market for Apple in the past couple of years, but is still just thrown in with “Europe.”
I can’t speak for Apple, but every company I’ve worked for has split their region reporting as soon as one of the traditionally smaller regions gets big enough
It creates hype and a boost to their stock price
Apple needs to realize that the EU doesn’t care if they left. They barely pay any taxes in the EU and don’t even create much economic value. Since most Apple jobs in the EU are in retail, businesses administration and tax evasion. They don’t produce shit here.
Meta tried to do the same. The EU response was to ask when they’d leave to plan the going away party. Meta was a lot less confrontational after that.
I think that the EU is fully aware that what makes those extra powerful is network effect. And, once they’re gone, something else pops up in their place. The case of Germans using WhatsApp for example would become inconvenient for them for fifteen whole minutes, then they’d jump into an alternative, and business as usual, without Faecesbook/Merda meddling.
But what about the blue chat bubbles?!
Nobody cares about that in EU
At least in germany, nobody cares. We are using WhatsApp over here most of the time
“Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos!”
WhatsApp is owned by Meta.
We know, the EU also told meta to behave. Meta then threatened to leave and everyone was like “ok, when?”. Because we’ll just switch to the next best thing. So meta behaved. Sort of, it’s an ongoing thing.
Meta’s not behaving in the slightest. Their entire business model is illegal under the GDPR. They will continue maliciously complying for as long as they can. Just like Apple. Fight tooth and nail for as long as it takes.
Its a regional thing. In europe whatsapp is more generally used then in the usa :)