DOJ has filed a lawusit against Apple on antitrust grounds over its lock-in and other practices, alleging monopolistic behavior in the US smartphone market.
Apple to “vigorously defend” itself against the massive DOJ antitrust lawsuit
Government
EU just hit Apple with $2B fine over Spotify’s App Store claims
Regulators in the European Union (EU) hit Apple with a huge fine for anti-competitive rules for third-party App Store apps in the Spotify streaming case.
Apple has spitefully crippled iPhone web apps in Europe, and now competition regulators in Brussels are investigating
Apple has intentionally crippled iPhone web apps in Europe, and now competition regulators in Brussels are taking a closer look at the user-hostile move.
Apple could make iPhone sideloading a “highly controlled system”
Apple is reportedly preparing to allow customers to sideload iPhone apps from alternative app stores beginning in the first half of 2024.
Bloomberg: Apple prepping to allow alternative app stores and sideloading
To comply with the upcoming requirements in the European Union, Apple is reportedly preparing to allow alternative app stores and iPhone sideloading.
Predictably, the FBI demands “lawful access” to encrypted iCloud backups
The FBI has vehemently opposed Advanced Data Protection, a new feature in iOS 16.2 that encrypts your iPhone backups in iCloud with end-to-end encryption.
RIP Lightning: Will Apple cave to the European Union pressure to adopt USB-C charging on iPhone by 2024?
New EU rules may force Apple to drop its proprietary Lightning connector and adopt USB-C charging for its iPhone, AirPods and other products by late 2024.
Apple wants US states to devote resources and marketing to digital ID cards on iPhone
Some US states are adding support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in the iPhone's Wallet app, with strict oversight and control of the whole process by Apple itself.
Apple could face an unspecified fine in Russia over in-app payments
A Russian watchdog is now pursuing a new antitrust investigation into Apple's App Store. It comes after the iPhone maker failed to implement anti-steering rules that would permit developers to inform users of alternative purchase options for in-app payments.
Australian regulator warns parents to keep AirTags away from children for safety
An AirTag safety warning issued in Australia advises parents to keep Apple's personal item tracker away from children due to its easy-to-access battery posing a choking hazard.
Apple argues that third-party app stores would open iPhone to scammers. Want app sideloading? You should switch to Android.
iPhone app sideloading and third-party app stores would undermine user security and expose children to scam, Apple argues in a newly published document on its website.
Apple’s first iCloud data center in mainland China goes online
Apple's first iCloud data center in mainland China, built in co-operation with a state-owned company, has now officially gone online following more than two years of preparations.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
Apple's first iCloud data center in mainland China is now operational. Chinese users' iCloud data is operated by GCBD, a state-owned company. A recent NYT report cast a spotlight on Apple’s iCloud “hard bargain“ in China.