Tag: EU

After AT&T 40 years ago, Google, Apple breakups on the agenda as global regulators target Big Tech
24Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

After AT&T 40 years ago, Google, Apple breakups on the agenda as global regulators target Big Tech

[ad_1] Big Tech is facing its biggest challenge in decades as antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic crack down on alleged anti-competitive practices that could result in break-up orders to Apple and Alphabet's Google, a first for the industry.That in turn could inspire watchdogs around the world to pile on, as evidenced in the growing number of antitrust probes in various countries following the opening of EU and U.S. cases. Since AT&T was broken up exactly 40 years ago, no company has faced the possibility of a regulator-led break-up in the United States until now. Google has said it disagreed with the EU's accusations while Apple said the U.S. lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law. In 1984, AT&T, also known as Ma Bell, was broken up into seven independent comp...
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Gaming war: Apple retreats in Epic Games feud, allows Fortnite return in European Union
9Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

Gaming war: Apple retreats in Epic Games feud, allows Fortnite return in European Union

[ad_1] Under pressure from European regulators, Apple took a step back in its feud with Epic Games on Friday, clearing the way for Epic Games to put its own game store on iPhones and iPads in Europe. Earlier this week, Apple had taken steps to block Epic from starting up a store and bringing back the popular game Fortnite, which Apple removed from its App Store in 2020 after Epic broke the iPhone maker's in-app payment rules in protest.Apple's decision to open its door to Epic follows the European Union's Thursday deadline for Big Tech companies to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a set of rules that bans Apple and Google from controlling which apps are distributed on devices with the iOS and Android operating systems. Thierry Breton, the EU's industry chief, said regulators h...
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Apple set to make switching from iPhones to Android easier, even allow you to uninstall Safari
9Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

Apple set to make switching from iPhones to Android easier, even allow you to uninstall Safari

[ad_1] In a move that could potentially revolutionize the smartphone market, Apple is gearing up to introduce measures that will make it easier for users to switch from iPhones to Android phones. In fact, you may even be allowed to uninstall Safari. The catalyst behind this initiative is the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which Apple is diligently preparing to comply with.According to a compliance document published by Apple, EU-based iPhone users can even expect to be able to uninstall the Safari browser, Apple's proprietary web browser, by the end of 2024. Additionally, the tech giant aims to roll out a more user-friendly data transfer mechanism from iPhones to non-Apple phones by fall 2025. These developments mark a significant departure from Apple's traditionally closed ecosy...
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iOS 17.4 brings sweeping changes including revamped App Store policies and NFC access
6Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

iOS 17.4 brings sweeping changes including revamped App Store policies and NFC access

[ad_1] Apple has rolled out the highly-anticipated iOS 17.4 update, featuring significant changes tailored specifically for users in Europe. While the update includes some global enhancements, the focal point remains on complying with the Digital Markets Act and introducing alterations exclusive to the European Union.EU ChangesIn adherence to the Digital Markets Act, Apple is revamping the App Store landscape in the European Union (EU). Developers within the EU can now opt for alternative app stores or distribute their apps through alternate channels, thus introducing a new fee structure. Under this system, developers are charged a standard fee of 0.50 euros per user per year, with the first million installs being free. Apps from alternate stores incur no commission, while those from th...
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Big Tech App Stores Focus of EU Digital Crackdown, Vestager Says
6Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

Big Tech App Stores Focus of EU Digital Crackdown, Vestager Says

[ad_1] The European Union's sweeping new law to rein in potential market abuse from the world's biggest tech firms will first focus on sorting out app stores, the bloc's competition chief Margrethe Vestager said. Just days before the Digital Markets Act comes into force Vestager said in an interview with Bloomberg TV that she's most concerned about smaller app stores being given fair access to operating systems run by companies that dominate the market like the likes of Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc.'s Google, and Microsoft Corp. “I think it's important for instance that you can have more than one app store on your phone,” Vestager said. “In any other circumstance, if you don't like one shop, you can go into another one.”  Under the DMA, firms face a slew of new restrictions across operating...
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Apple hit with over 1.8 billion euro EU antitrust fine in Spotify case
4Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

Apple hit with over 1.8 billion euro EU antitrust fine in Spotify case

[ad_1] Apple was hit with an EU antitrust fine of over 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion) on Monday, its first ever, for preventing Spotify and other music streaming services from informing users of payment options outside its App Store. The European Commission's decision was triggered by a 2019 complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify over this restriction and Apple's 30% App Store fees. The European Union competition enforcer said Apple's restrictions constituted unfair trading conditions, a relatively novel argument in an antitrust case and also used by the Dutch antitrust agency in a decision against Apple in 2021 in a case brought by dating app providers. The EU competition enforcer said it added an additional lump sum of 1.8 billion euros to the basic amount as a dete...
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Meta Platforms challenges EU over content moderation law fees
8Feb By adminNo Comments
Technology

Meta Platforms challenges EU over content moderation law fees

[ad_1] Facebook owner Meta announced on Wednesday it would challenge in court an EU demand for fees under a content moderation law.The European Commission last year put Meta's Facebook and Instagram on a list of "very large" online platforms that face tougher rules under the new Digital Services Act (DSA). Companies on the list must pay fees to the commission, the EU's executive arm, to bankroll enforcement of the DSA. Meta supported the DSA's aims and had introduced measures to comply, "but we disagree with the methodology used to calculate these fees," a company spokesperson said."Currently, companies that record a loss don't have to pay, even if they have a large user base or represent a greater regulatory burden, which means some companies pay nothing, leaving others to pay a dispro...
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European Union has finalised a historic deal! Check out the AI Act cheat sheet ahead of its enactment
12Dec By adminNo Comments
Technology

European Union has finalised a historic deal! Check out the AI Act cheat sheet ahead of its enactment

[ad_1] On Friday, December 8, Europe reached a provisional deal on landmark European Union (EU) rules governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The political agreement is seen as a landmark moment for the EU and now, it is expected that the rest of the process to enact the AI Act. As per reports, the sticking points where the bloc failed to find consensus were governments' use of AI in biometric surveillance and how to regulate AI systems such as ChatGPT. Now that the agreement is in place, you should know the key elements of the AI Act and how it may shape the future of this emerging technology.These key points were shared by Oliver Patel, Enterprise AI Governance Lead at AstraZeneca on LinkedIn. Posting it in an image as an ‘AI Act cheat sheet', he said, “Now the dust has set...
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5 things about AI you may have missed today: EU agrees on AI Act, Elon Musk to make Grok politically neutral, more
9Dec By adminNo Comments
Technology

5 things about AI you may have missed today: EU agrees on AI Act, Elon Musk to make Grok politically neutral, more

[ad_1] Today, December 9, has become a monumental day in the artificial intelligence space as a major regulatory hurdle was crossed. After more than a year spent in debates, protests, and discussions, Europe has finally reached a provisional deal on landmark European Union (EU) rules governing the use of AI, popularly known as the AI Act. In other news, a poster on X highlighted that Grok, the xAI chatbot, leans left libertarian politically, after which Elon Musk responded that immediate steps would be taken to ensure the political neutrality of the AI chatbot. This and more in today's AI roundup. Let us take a closer look.EU reaches landmark deal for AI ActOn Friday, Europe reached a provisional agreement on significant European Union regulations concerning the use of AI, reported Reut...
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Amazon Must Promise to Rank iRobot Rivals Fairly, EU Watchdog Warns
6Dec By adminNo Comments
Technology

Amazon Must Promise to Rank iRobot Rivals Fairly, EU Watchdog Warns

[ad_1] Amazon.com Inc. must pledge to fairly rank rival robot vacuum cleaners sold on its online marketplace if it is to secure European Union approval for its $1.4 billion buyout of Roomba maker iRobot Corp., the bloc's interim competition chief Didier Reynders warned. His comments follow last week's move by the European Commission to issue a formal statement of objections cataloging potential reasons to block the deal unless Amazon comes up with an offer to fix them.  “The main issue is to be sure to have a fair treatment of all the different actors,” Didier Reynders, the EU's acting commissioner for competition, told reporters after an event in Brussels.  Reynders, who's standing in for competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager while she runs for the top job at the European Investm...
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