Apple‘s iPhones could be in for a major overhaul if the European Union (EU) gets its way. The bloc is pushing Apple to further comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation that fosters a more open and competitive app ecosystem.

EU Demands Uninstallable Photos App, Raising Security Concerns

At the heart of the dispute is Apple’s Photos app. According to a report by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, EC Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager highlighted that Apple should enable users to uninstall any app, including system-level ones like Photos.

This requirement has sparked debate as the Photos app is deeply integrated with iOS, granting access control to other apps and functioning as the camera roll. It also interacts with iCloud for storage and sharing.

Vestager believes Apple should allow third-party apps to act as the system image library. However, experts like Gruber point out the complexity of such a change, potentially requiring a significant iOS overhaul.

Apple has made some changes to comply with DMA, such as offering alternative app store options. However, the European Commission (EC) feels this isn’t enough. They are particularly concerned about Apple’s “anti-steering” measures and fees associated with alternate app stores.

While Vestager’s comments mention the Photos app specifically, it’s unclear if the EC will enforce this strictly. Some argue that the ability to uninstall Photos might be more trouble than it’s worth, potentially leading to accidental data loss.

The EU has also expressed dissatisfaction with Apple’s current browser choice screen, implemented to comply with DMA. Vestager suggests it doesn’t provide users with a fully informed decision. This could be due to the randomized list showing only the top 11 downloaded browsers alongside Safari.

The back-and-forth between the EU and Apple regarding DMA compliance is likely to continue. While the EU pushes for a more open ecosystem, concerns remain about the potential impact on user experience and data security.

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Apple is one of the world’s largest companies, wielding economic power that surpasses many countries. However, even this doesn’t exempt the tech giant from adhering to regulations and oversight. For instance, following a European Union decision last year, Apple abandoned the Lightning port and started using the USB-C port in the iPhone 15 series. Now, due to another EU influence, the company is relenting on one of its major stances. Starting from next year, it will be possible to install APKs on the iPhone.

Apple’s App Store Monopoly Challenged as EU Ruling Forces New Rules

If you’re an Android user, you’ve likely ventured outside of the Google Play Store to install applications by downloading APK files. Bypassing Google and installing apps using APKs might not be challenging for you. However, for iPhone users, it’s not so simple, as they are always bound by Apple’s rules with no alternative to the App Store. But soon, installing APKs on the iPhone will become a reality.

To clarify, when we say “installing APK on the iPhone,” we are using familiar terminology. However, APK stands for Android Package Kit and is a file type specific to the Android platform. So, technically, installing APKs on the iPhone is not feasible. The iOS equivalent of APK is IPA, a file format used for distributing iOS applications. Similar to APKs, IPAs contain the application’s code, images, and other resources.

The term for installing applications outside the official app store is called sideloading. The Digital Markets Act, enacted by the European Union on November 1, 2022, enables Apple users to perform the action referred to as “installing APK on the iPhone.” So, when will this happen?

As mentioned earlier, the law is already in effect, meaning Apple is now obligated to implement it. However, the company has requested additional time, citing that its systems are not yet ready. The EU has accepted this request on the condition that the feature will be introduced no later than the iOS 17.2 update in 2024.

Of course, Apple has the option not to comply with the rules of the European Union. However, this could result in penalties amounting to 20% of its global revenue. Failing to pay these penalties could lead to sanctions such as a ban on sales in Europe. Therefore, Apple has no other choice. But why is Apple against sideloading?

Why is Apple against sideloading?

The disruption of the App Store economy could be a significant factor. Apple may argue potential security vulnerabilities as its reason, claiming that iPhones are more secure than Android due to their closed-system design. If everyone starts installing apps from external sources, this could change. However, the reality is a bit different.

The tech giant currently takes a 15% to 30% commission from the earnings of all applications on the App Store. Whether you buy diamonds in a game or subscribe to a service, a portion goes to Apple. Now, app developers might be able to change this and avoid the so-called “Apple Tax.” However, opening the door to pirated installations could also complicate matters for app developers.

What the future holds for Apple and App Store developers is currently uncertain. Nevertheless, the ability to install APKs on the iPhone is a positive development for users amid these uncertainties.

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The European Court of Justice (CJEU) has issued a ruling stating that antitrust authorities overseeing companies like Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have the right to evaluate privacy breaches. The decision potentially grants more flexibility to antitrust regulators in investigating Big Tech firms.

Understanding the CJEU Ruling: Antitrust Agencies and Data Protection Concerns

The case stemmed from a 2019 order by the German cartel office, which instructed Meta to cease collecting users’ data without their consent, deeming it an abuse of market power. Meta challenged the order, leading a German court to seek guidance from the CJEU.

The CJEU ruling clarifies whether antitrust agencies exceeded their jurisdiction by utilizing antitrust powers to address data protection concerns, typically handled by national data protection authorities.

In response to the ruling, a Meta spokesperson stated that they are evaluating the decision and will provide further comments later.

According to the CJEU judges, during antitrust investigations, it might be necessary for competition authorities to examine whether a company’s conduct complies with regulations beyond those related to competition law. However, the court emphasized that antitrust regulators must take into account any decisions or investigations carried out by relevant supervisory authorities concerning data protection.

The German cartel office welcomed the ruling, with its head, Andreas Mundt, highlighting the significance of data in establishing market power. Mundt stated that the use of consumers’ highly personal data by large internet companies can also qualify as an abuse under antitrust law.

Legal experts, such as Thomas Graf from Cleary Gottlieb law firm, expressed caution regarding the extent to which antitrust authorities would delve into privacy law. Graf noted that demonstrating the relevance of privacy law to antitrust and coordinating with GDPR authorities would be necessary.

The ruling received support from the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), emphasizing the need for authorities to consider data protection in today’s complex digital economy.

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The European Union is considering a mandatory ban on the use of Huawei in its 5G networks. The move comes as a response to increasing concerns in Brussels about the security risks posed by the Chinese company.

In 2020, the EU said member-states could restrict or exclude Huawei from core parts of their telecoms networks, but resisted pressure from the United States for an outright ban. However, the EU’s internal market commissioner Thierry Breton told telecoms ministers last Friday that only a third of EU countries had implemented Huawei bans in critical areas.

Security Concerns Prompt EU’s Actions

To address this issue and compensate for the guidance falling short of a ban in 2020, the EU may introduce a mandatory ban on companies deemed to pose security risks. Germany, in particular, has been considering banning certain components from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in its telecoms network, according to a government source.

The move by the EU is a significant development in the ongoing battle between the United States and China for dominance in the global 5G market. The United States has long argued that Huawei poses a security risk due to its close ties to the Chinese government, and has urged its allies to ban the company from their 5G networks. China has denied these allegations and has accused the United States of trying to stifle its economic growth.

The EU’s decision to consider a mandatory ban on Huawei is a sign that the bloc is taking the security risks posed by the company seriously. However, it remains to be seen whether the EU will be able to reach a consensus on the issue, or whether member-states will continue to take different approaches.

The EU’s decision on Huawei is likely to be closely watched by other countries around the world. The United States, Australia, and Japan have already banned Huawei from their 5G networks, and other countries are considering similar measures. The EU’s decision could set a precedent for other countries and could have a significant impact on the global 5G market.

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Portugal is reportedly planning to ban Huawei from its national 5G network, as per the latest report coming from Reuters based on the document from the country’s cyber security council.

As per the report, the country’s government is concerned about the security of Huawei’s equipment. The document outlines a plan to restrict the use of high-risk kits, which includes Huawei, among other companies.

It recommends barring local carriers from sourcing 5G equipment from suppliers based outside of the European Union or from countries that are not a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED).

The decision is a major blow to the Chinese giant Huawei, which is the world’s leading supplier of 5G equipment. If the government does ban Huawei, then it will have a significant impact on the Portuguese 5G rollout. Altice Portugal, the largest wireless carrier in the country, signed a deal a few years ago to use Huawei equipment for part of its 5G rollout.

Huawei has said that it is disappointed by the decision of the Portugal government and added that it will continue to work with the government to address its concerns. It further states that the company is confident that it will be able to meet the security requirements.

The development comes amid growing concerns about the security of equipment from Huawei, as the company has been accused of being vulnerable to Chinese spying. A number of countries have banned Huawei from their 5G networks, including the United States, and countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan have imposed restrictions.

If the Portuguese government goes ahead with the ban, then it would join Canada and a handful of other European countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, that have recently banned the Chinese company from participating in their 5G networks.

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been fined €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) by the European Union (EU) for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The fine comes as a result of Meta’s failure to adequately protect European users’ personal data from American security services’ surveillance activities.

Record-breaking GDPR fine for exporting European data to the US

The Irish Data Protection Commission, which made the decision, stated that Meta’s data transfers to the United States did not sufficiently address the risks to individuals’ fundamental rights and freedoms. The company used standard contractual clauses (SCCs) to transfer data to the US, but these measures were deemed inadequate following a ruling by the EU’s highest court.

In addition to the record-breaking fine, Meta has been given a five-month deadline to halt any future transfer of personal data to the US and a six-month deadline to stop the unlawful processing and storage of transferred personal data from the EU in the US.

This decision is part of an ongoing dispute that has created legal uncertainty for Facebook and other companies. The EU’s highest court invalidated an EU-US agreement governing data transfers in 2020 due to concerns about data protection in the US. Subsequently, the Irish authority ordered Facebook to cease transferring data to the US using alternative mechanisms like contractual clauses.

Efforts have been made to establish a new EU-US data flows agreement, and a replacement for the defunct “Privacy Shield” agreement was proposed in December 2022. The fine imposed on Meta coincides with the fifth anniversary of the GDPR, which is considered the global standard for privacy protection.

Meta intends to challenge the decision and the fine, emphasizing the potential harm to millions of people who use Facebook every day. The company warns that if it is forced to stop using contractual clauses without a suitable alternative, it may have to shut down services like Facebook and Instagram in Europe.

Under the GDPR, EU regulators have the authority to impose fines of up to 4% of a company’s annual revenue for severe violations. The Irish Data Protection Commission has become the leading privacy regulator for major tech companies with an EU presence, including Meta and Apple.

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Microsoft’s bid to acquire video gaming giant Activision Blizzard for about $68.7 billion has been approved by regulators of the European Union. The development comes just weeks after the deal was blocked by the UK regulators.

The approval for the deal to proceed is contingent on Microsoft making concessions on access to cloud gaming. It requires the company to automatically grant a license for Activision Blizzard games to any competing cloud-based gaming service.

The European Union regulators found that Microsoft “would have no incentive to refuse to distribute Activision’s games to Sony” and that “even if Microsoft did decide to withdraw Activision’s games from the PlayStation, this would not significantly harm competition in the consoles market.”

However, it found that the deal could harm competition around the distribution of PC and console games through cloud gaming services. As a remedy, Microsoft will need to offer free licenses to consumers in EU countries that would allow them to stream via “any cloud game streaming services of their choice.” This applies to all current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games that they have a license for.

Although Microsoft received approval from the EU, the deal remains doubtful because of UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which was blocked a few weeks back. The Redmond-based tech giant has said that it plans to aggressively appeal the UK decision. Regulators in South Africa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Serbia, and Japan have approved the deal, while China, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia are all still reviewing the deal.

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Apple has been forced to disclose the monthly active user count of its App Store in Europe in order to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act. The disclosure revealed that the iOS App Store has 101 million users in Europe, while iPadOS has 23 million, indicating the immense popularity of Apple’s mobile devices in the region.

iOS App Store boasts 101 million active users in Europe

While the Mac App Store has 6 million users, the tvOS App Store has 1 million, and the watchOS App Store has less than 1 million users, Apple’s disclosure highlights the dominance of its mobile devices in the European market. In addition, less than 1 million people in Europe use Apple Books and Podcasts for paid subscriptions each month, according to Apple’s report.

The EU’s Digital Services Act aims to regulate “very large online platforms”, which are defined as platforms with over 45 million monthly active users. While Apple considers each operating system’s App Store as a separate platform, only the iPhone iOS App Store is classified as a “very large” online platform, with over 101 million monthly active users in Europe alone.

In response to the Digital Services Act, Apple has pledged to “adjust” all its App Stores in Europe to comply with the regulations, even though the law only requires compliance for the iOS App Store. The regulations set by the DSA include protecting children from advertising, limiting the spread of misinformation, and more, aligning with Apple’s goal of protecting consumers from illegal content.

However, the Digital Markets Act, another EU regulation, may force Apple to support alternative app stores and app sideloading on the iPhone, at least for its European customers. This could potentially have a significant impact on Apple’s app store revenue, as the company currently takes a 15%-30% commission on all app sales and in-app purchases made through its platform.

With further regulations on the horizon, it remains to be seen how Apple will adapt to the changing landscape of the digital marketplace.

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Over the period of the last decade, there have been various trends in smartphone designs that have changed. For example, the 3.5mm headphone jack is now a lot more uncommon. Similarly, smartphones used to come with removable batteries that made it replaceable as well. This feature is now only seen in a handful of models, but this might be changing soon due to the EU.

Just recently, the European Union had forced Apple to also comply with the universal standard for smartphones with the use of the USB Type C port to charge its iPhone models in the future. This decision was approved but the Cupertino based giant has till 28th December 2024 to comply with this order. Now, it seems like the Union is now aiming on strong arming the entire industry into bringing back replaceable battery packs.

According to a new report, Europe might be planning on forcing smartphone makers, including both the iOS and Android brands, to revive removable batteries. Unlike iPhones, Android models typically came with a replaceable battery pack back in the early days of Android phones. Although, this was before OEMs managed to pack a lot more power and equipment into smaller frames thanks to intricate internal design and layout. Furthermore, many high end phones also feature water and dust resistance thanks to a tight seal.

In other words, having a replaceable battery might work against such an important durability feature. Back in the day, users could simply go out to a store or order an extra battery online to replace the aging or dying one inside their smartphones. Some OEMs even offered larger capacity batteries that were sold separately. So it is unclear whether this practice has more pros or cons. Let us know in the comments section down below about your thoughts regarding this matter.

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While we have reported on Apple planning on shifting away from its Lightning port design in favor of the USB Type C standards, it appeared that this move would still be years away. But now, the company might have a set deadline due to a new standard being passed by the EU.

For those unaware, the iPhone 14 series was initially believed to feature USB Type C ports, however, recent reports suggested otherwise. But now, EU has announced that all smartphones, tablets, and even cameras are required to use the same connector, with the USB-C being the new standard. In other words, the Cupertino based giant will also have to comply with this rule.

The EU has set a deadline till 2024 to give OEMs time to make this shift. Android smartphone makers have mostly moved to this USB standard, however, Apple handsets still feature the Lightning port. Although, recent reports had also hinted at the iPhone 15 series possibly being the first iPhone to feature a USB Type C port. So, it seems that the brand is already ahead of this schedule, but this is still unconfirmed at the moment.

European nations have been trying to standardize the charging port for various consumer electronic products for a while now. Back in 2021, it was reported that the USB Type C will be mandated as the standard port for different kinds of device, and now, this has finally been made official. So we will have to wait and see if the next year’s iPhone actually makes the shift or not.

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The European Union has officially objected to Apple yet again. This time, the European Commission has issued a Statement of Objections to the company for limiting third party access to its Apple Pay NFC system.

According to a MacRumors report, the Cupertino based giant is facing backlash for restricting third party payment services from accessing the NFC payment feature on its iPhones. In other words, the brand is basically restricting competition in mobile wallets on the iOS platform as a whole. The European Commission also added that further investigation will be commenced before any actions are taken against the company.

The original statement reads, “The European Commission has informed Apple of its preliminary view that it abused its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets on iOS devices. By limiting access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with mobile devices in stores (‘Near-Field Communication (NFC)’ or ‘tap and go’), Apple restricts competition in the mobile wallets market on iOS.” Furthermore, the European Commission’s Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said that the access to NFC is a requirement for any of Apple’s competing mobile wallet services

She further added that “Developing a mobile payment application is costly. Investment may only be worth it if developers can reach both Apple and Android customers. Evidence on our file indicates that some developers did not go ahead with their plans as they were not able to reach iPhone users. This behavior stifled innovation and prevented competition in the mobile wallet market. As a result, European consumers have little choice of mobile payment solutions when paying in shops.” In its defense, Apple cited security risk as the reason for limiting NFC access but the regulator’s investigation has not found any evidence of said risk.

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The European Union’s General Court has ruled that the European Commission was right in fining Google for an antirust breach for which the technology giant was fined 2.42 billion euros, approximately $2.8 billion.

A few years ago, in 2017, EU’s competition watchdog European Commission found that Google had favored its own comparison shopping services and fined the company for breaching antitrust rules. The search engine giant then contested the claims to the second-highest court in the EU and has now lost the appeal.

The court has confirmed that the company will need to pay the fine of 2.42 billion euros. The Alphabet-owned company also has an option to appeal this verdict and take the case forward to the EU’s highest court.

In a press release, the court said: “The General Court finds that, by favoring its own comparison shopping service on its general results pages through more favorable display and positioning, while relegating the results from competing comparison services in those pages by means of ranking algorithms, Google departed from competition on the merits.”

The company said it made changes in 2017 to comply with the commission’s decision. In a statement, the company said: “Our approach has worked successfully for more than three years, generating billions of clicks for more than 700 comparison shopping services.”

After this anti-trust fine in 2017, the commission followed by two other major antitrust penalties against Google, totaling 8.25 billion euros ($9.5 billion), which the company is appealing. The fines are a drop in the bucket for Google’s parent company which earned $182 billion in revenue just last year.

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Nvidia’s acquisition of ARM has been facing obstacles ever since the company announced the deal and in the latest setback, the European Union antitrust regulators have now opened a full-scale investigation into the acquisition of ARM, a deal worth $54 billion.

The antitrust regulator will be looking into the concerns about the deal leading to higher prices, fewer options to choose from, and reduced innovation. The Commission said that it would make a decision about the deal by March 15, 2022.

This full-scale investigation comes after a preliminary review during which Nvidia reportedly offered concessions that were viewed as insufficient by the European Commission.

Nvidia has not disclosed what these concessions are but it has previously said it would maintain ARM as a neutral technology supplier to soothe concerns from customers such as Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, and Apple, among others.

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said: “Whilst Arm and Nvidia do not directly compete, Arm’s IP is an important input in products competing with those of Nvidia, for example in datacentres, automotive and in the Internet of Things. Our analysis shows that the acquisition of Arm by Nvidia could lead to restricted or degraded access to Arm’s IP, with distortive effects in many markets where semiconductors are used.”

Commenting on this, Nvidia spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the European Commission through the regulatory process. We look forward to the opportunity to address their initial concerns and continue demonstrating that the transaction will help to accelerate Arm and boost competition and innovation, including in the EU.”

A couple of months ago, the UK regulator found that the acquisition of ARM by Nvidia could damage competition and weaken rivals, and required a further lengthy investigation.

For the uninitiated, NVIDIA, the world’s biggest graphics card, and AI chips maker announced the acquisition of ARM last year. SoftBank had acquired ARM back in 2016 for 31.4 billion US Dollars. ARM is a known chip designer with its architecture being one of the most popular designs used in most smartphone chips.

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The executive arm of the European Union, the European Commission, is intensifying efforts to ensure that smartphone OEMs adopt a single USB-C charging port on their devices. The EU had first made a case for the adoption of a single charger in 2018 and has since then been making efforts to get manufacturers to adopt this policy aimed at reducing environmental wastes. The efforts haven’t reduced the desired result as Apple has opposed the proposal.

Apparently, the commission is poised to move ahead with the proposal by adopting legislation to that effect. The commission has announced plans to push ahead with the proposal. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton disclosed in a press conference that the proposals only cover wired connectivity and don’t extend to wireless gadgets or chargers.

The new revised Radio Equipment Directive proposal won’t be limited to smartphones but will extend to other devices such as cameras, videogame consoles, tablets, headphones, and portable speakers. Also, the proposal will compel manufacturers to make their fast-charging standards uniform and to also provide information to customers about what charging standards their device supports.

The proposal still has a long way to go before it will become a law. It will be subjected to a vote at the European Parliament. If it succeeds in getting the majority vote, manufacturers will get a 24-month window to implement it on their devices.  There is no doubt that the EU parliament will vote in favor of the proposal having earlier in 2020 voted in a related proposal that sought to make manufacturers adopt a common charger for all devices.

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The European Union seeks to grow its presence in the semiconductor industry. It aims to produce 20 percent of the global output of cutting edge advanced semiconductors by the end of this decade, with the plans also including its first quantum computer in five years.

According to a Reuters report, the move from the EU arrives as a part of its efforts to reduce its dependence on non European technologies. The EU plan titled 2030 Digital Compass arrives after the pandemic exposed the reliance of the union on key technologies owned by Chinese and American based companies. In the plan, the EU emphasized the importance of semiconductors, which are used in a wide range of industries and fields.

Semiconductors are used in connected cars, smartphones, IoT devices, and high performance computers, and artificial intelligence fields as well. The news also arrived as the world is suffering from one of the worst shortages of semiconductors, which has even led to automobile makers having to halt production due to lack of chips. As per the document from the EU, “It is our proposed level of ambition that by 2030 the production of cutting-edge and sustainable semiconductors in Europe including processors is at least 20% of world production in value.”

In the plan, the EU also recommended investing in quantum technologies, saying that these could be a ‘game changer’ in developing new medicines and even speed up genome sequencing. The document also added that “It is our proposed level of ambition that by 2025, Europe will have the first computer with quantum acceleration paving the way for Europe to be at the cutting edge of quantum capabilities by 2030.”

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Apple is set to launch its new ad tracking transparency feature some time in early spring. But before its official launch, it has already faced backlash for the new privacy changes, especially from social media giant Facebook. Now, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager has also warned the company to play fair.

According to a 9To5Mac report, the EU antitrust chief said that the new ad tracking feature does fall in with some of the proposed legislation in Europe. She even added that she has yet to receive any official complaints regarding these upcoming ad tracking transparency changes, which will essentially notify iPad and iPhone users when the apps and websites are tracking them and even offer an easy opt out option. Vestager said that the feature is actually in line with the recently proposed EU Digital Services/Markets Act legislation.

She added that “It is a very good thing to have a clear opt-out option. If you look at the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, these are some of the solutions we are looking at there.” However, the EU antitrust chief still warned that the feature could go beyond privacy focus and might border on anticompetitive practices as well. In an interview earlier this week, Vestager stated that ‘It can be competition if it is shown that Apple is not treating its own apps in the same way.”

As mentioned prior, Facebook is one of the biggest critic of this and is filing an antitrust lawsuit against Apple over ATT feature. Notably, Apple has also claimed that this feature would also be applicable on itself along with third party developers. So it remains to be seen how the lawsuit plays out regarding the ad tracking feature.

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The EU (European Union) is trying to pass a new law that could help it prevent online platforms from becoming too large or strong enough to surpass their rivals, as per the bloc’s competition chief.

According to Margrethe Vestager, these competition law enforcement seem “backward looking,” and regulators are calling for investigations into past behavior, fines, and suspension of “illegal” behavior by major businesses. Rivals of major corporations also face various obstacles, with complains taking too long to spot and sanction an anti competitive behavior. This delay can cause the rival to face irreparable damage towards their own business operations, as per a FinancialTimes report.

Furthermore, Brussels is set to publish proposals next week, which will allow ‘regulators to go after fast-growing companies,’ which are able to reach a kind of market dominance. Best examples of such cases include giants like Google and Facebook. While the goal is known, it is currently unsure what guidelines or step the EU will take to measure the company’s growth or take action.

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EU’s executive vice-president in charge of the EU’s digital policy, Vestager stated that “It’s a way of introducing a forward-looking dynamic to complement what we do vigorously in enforcing competition law.” In other words, the larger corporations will be subject to a stricter list of obligations than their smaller rivals in terms of public listing. The new obligations may even have major firms be required to share data with their competitors or to the EU ‘gatekeepers’.

Vestager also added that she expects “a lot of pushback from this regulation when we table it because obviously it will restrict some market players and it will put on them new obligations.” She even stated that “this is not about the flag that you are flying” after Booking.com chief executive, Glenn Fogel, called the new regulations a “handcuff” on one of the “very, very, very few tech successes in Europe.”

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Beginning January 2021, electronic devices including smartphones, tablets, TVs, and computers will now have a repairability score label. The label which will be compulsory for all devices sold in the European country is the result of a European Parliament vote for the Right to Repair.

According to iFixit, the vote requires the EU Commission to introduce a compulsory label that will “provide clear, visible and easy-to-understand information to consumers about the estimated lifetime and repairability of a product at the time of purchase.”.

France’s repairability index is expected to set an example for other European countries. The score on the label of an electronic, which will be rated out of 10, will take into consideration the ease of disassembly, price, and availability of spare parts, and access to repair information reports. This score will be similar to the one that iFixit has been awarding to devices for more than a decade.

The repairability score will not only force manufacturers to design products that can be easily repaired, but it will also increase competition as no manufacturer will want their product to have a low score, and it will also translate to an increase in the life span of the product.

Apparently, an EU survey carried out recently revealed that 77% of EU citizens would prefer to repair a device than replace it. With France at the forefront, other EU countries are expected to follow suit. The country also has plans to upgrade the repairability index to a durability index in 2024, so that consumers know that a product is not only easy to repair but also durable. Another goal is to extend the index to non-electronic products such as bikes and furniture.

There will also be a platform for consumers to provide feedback on the index. Citizens will be able to report false info which will lead to a sanction starting in 2022.

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Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet (Parent company of Google) recently gave out an apology to Europe’s industry chief Thierry Breton after documents regarding tactics to tackle EU rules were leaked online.

For those unaware, a recent leak of internal documents found that Google was proposing actions that would counter the strict EU rules on internet companies and even lobbying against the EU commissioner. According to a Gadgets360 report, the senior executive from Google and Breton interacted in a video conference earlier this month, which was the third conference in 2020.

This call arrived had both sides discuss a Google internal document, which defined a 60 day strategy against the European Union, who is pushing for stricter rules. The search giant planned on involving US based allies to push back against Brenton. Prior to the leak, the call had been initiated by Google, with Brenton later bringing up the leaked document during the conference to show it to Pichai.

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Brenton stated in an interview that “I’m was not surprised. I’m not naive. I thought it was a bit old fashioned…,” in an interview with Anglo-American Press Association. He further added that “In any case, yes I had a discussion with Sundar… I told him what I had to tell him….he apologized. (I told him) If you need to tell me something, my door will always be open.” Apparently, Pichai apologized and also added that he had no prior knowledge of the document and it has yet to be sanctioned either.

Brenton believes that “The Internet cannot remain a ‘Wild West’: we need clear and transparent rules, a predictable environment and balanced rights and obligations.” In other words, the two had an open conversation regarding the matter, with Pichai saying that he would approach Brenton directly regarding any policy that mentions Google directly. Notably, Brenton is set to announce new draft rules known as the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act together with European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager on 2nd December 2020.

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Earlier this week, Apple just had a ruling in its favor that was regarding unpaid taxes worth 13.9 billion US Dollars in Ireland. However, it seems the company didn’t have time to celebrate as another possible investigation into its voice assistant may have it shell out a 26 billion US Dollars fine.

For those unaware, the European Union Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, was behind the tax evasion lawsuit in Ireland. And now, the official is looking into information from 400 companies to see if there is any possible misconduct with voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa. If any foul play is found, the companies behind these voice assistants may face an antitrust charge.

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In the past, such inquiries have led to multi billion dollar fines being imposed against various industries related to energy, finances, and even pharmaceutics. In other words, the EU is trying to acquire information from 400 companies, to send a message to industry giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google. A message that is meant to keep them in check.

The companies that break the voice assistant rules regarding competition, a fine of 10 percent of its global revenue can be imposed. Meaning, Apple’s 260 billion US Dollar global revenue from last year could have it fined for 26 billion US Dollars. This move arrives due to the inherent amount of consumer data IoT products and recent smart products work with. Unfortunately, it is still too early in the investigation to say anything right now and we will keep you posted regarding any major updates in the matter.

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(Via)

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Google had launched a bid to acquire renowned fitness tracker manufacturer Fitbit in November last year. The $2.1 billion bid has been under scrutiny due to concerns over antitrust and privacy worries.

At the moment, the European Union (EU) is gearing up to launch an investigation on the deal. The European regulatory body is worried that the proposed $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit by Google will lead to sensitive health data collected from Fitbit users over the years getting into the heads of Google. This is viewed as a potential means of strengthening the internet giant’s dominance in the advertising business.

The EU put up a 47-page questionnaire which expected to be filled by potential rivals and other stakeholders of the two companies. The survey questions the potential of the deal to “reinforce Google’s dominance in general search and online advertising”.

Some parts of the directed at users and also developers as the regulator sought to know how this deal will impact developers and the choices customers have should the deal like to a hike in the prices of Fitbit device.

Furthermore, several consumer groups that are not affiliated to ay government have also voiced their decent to the acquisition. The groups include BEUC, which unites EU consumer advocates, as well as the Consumer Federation of America in the US and digital rights groups in Mexico, Brazil and Australia.

The groups are concerned that the deal “would be a game-changer not only for how people interact with the online world but also for digital and related health markets,” a statement said. The major concern borders on Google using the acquisition to venture into new areas and the stifle competition. The brand is presently the owner of the WearOS for wearable devices.

Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission had earlier on last month raised concerns that the transaction could “further entrench” Google’s dominance and “adversely affect competition in several digital advertising and health markets.”

The deal snow before EU antitrust regulators who are expected to reach a decision by July 20.

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(source)

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Huawei has hinted that it will halt its medical aid to Europe after a statement by the EU’s Foreign Chief Josep Borrell that a ‘politics of generosity’ is being played out. Borrel also claimed that Huawei’s donations suggest that there is a ‘global battle of narratives’ at play.

Borrel had written a blog post which we feel is ill-times, where he stated that “Following the EU’s donation of medical equipment to China earlier in the year, “China has brought down local new infections to single figures – and it is now sending equipment and doctors to Europe.” He also claimed that China’s generosity is an aggressive drive to push the message that it is a responsible and reliable partner, unlike the US. He also claimed Beijing had even made attempts to discredit the EU as well.

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In this light, a Huawei official said to be familiar with the matter reportedly disclosed to EURACTIV that the company will scale down its donation of masks to countries in Europe to avoid getting entangled in the US/China power play. However, the company says it “remains open” to discussions with health authorities in Europe who are in “dire need” of additional equipment. The official also insisted that donations were never meant to have been a PR campaign.

The coronavirus pandemic began in China but it quickly spread like wildfire, overwhelming nations that were hitherto regarded as world powers such as Italy, Spain, France and even the US. While conspiracy theories are being forwarded as regards China’s intentions, we cannot simply brush aside the magnanimity of several top Chinese companies like Alibaba, Huawei, Xiaomi and others. The aids from these Chinese companies as well as the government of China have gone a long way to help countries contain the scourge and earned them accolades. Recently, China had responded to an appealed for assistance by Serbia and shipped equipment to the country. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is reported to have told China’s ambassador to Serbia that without China, Europe could “hardly defend itself.”

Huawei has also donated millions of masks to several EU member states, including Italy, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Holland, and Spain, to aid local efforts at fighting the disease. The Chinese government recently donated millions of masks and medical equipment to the Czech Republic this week. In response to the gesture, the Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamacek had claimed that China is “the only country capable of supplying Europe with such amounts.” These statements will no doubt make Washington and even the EU commission uncomfortable as it portrays China in a different light from the one the US wants countries to view Beijing.

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(source)

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The US seems to be extremely worried about Huawei’s dominance in the 5G market. So much so that the US attorney general suggested that American investors should buy a controlling stake in Nokia and/ or Ericsson in order to transform them into formidable competitors to the Chinese telecommunications giant.

“There are only two companies that can compete with Huawei right now: Nokia and Ericsson,” Barr said in his speech at a conference on China’s security threat at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Putting our large market and financial muscle behind one or both of these firms would make it a far more formidable competitor and eliminate concerns over its staying power.”

He raised concerns about Nokia and Ericsson’s ability to take on Huawei. Barr said that neither of these companies had Huawei’s scale or backing from a powerful country which put them at a disadvantage when compared to the Chinese telecommunications giant.

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And given how 5G is expected to power a range of emerging technologies in the coming years, Barr is worried that China will be able to influence and control these technologies if Huawei dominates this new-age communications market. In his speech, he added, “From a national security standpoint, if the industrial internet becomes dependent upon Chinese technology, China would have the ability to shut countries off from technology and equipment upon which their consumers and industries depend.”

In order to avoid such a situation, he said the US is considering a few proposals that align itself “with Nokia and/or Ericsson through either American ownership of a controlling stake or through a “consortium or private American and allied companies.”

Barr’s comments reveal how important 5G is for the US. And if Nokia and Ericsson are bought by American investors, the race for 5G will essentially be a fight between two superpowers: China and the US.

Meanwhile, Huawei has sued Verizon in the US for infringing 12 patents in the field of computer networking, download security and video services.

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(Source)

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After the UK approved the use of Huawei’s equipment in its market, the EU has followed suit to allow the Chinese telecommunications manufacturer to help build its 5G network. This decision comes with a set of guidelines for its member nations called the toolbox. EU nations will have to implement the guidelines mentioned in this toolbox by 30th April 2020.

The toolbox is the EU’s solution to finding a middle ground in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China. It contains a set of mitigating measures to address the security risks associated with the rollout of 5G in the region. It suggests member countries to omit high-risk vendors like Huawei from the ‘core’ 5G network infrastructure. Further, it calls for diversification of the supply of equipment by network operators.

In short, Huawei will be allowed to take part in building EU’s 5G networks but only in the non-core areas of the infrastructure. So, mobile operators can use Chinese network equipment in the peripheral parts of the network like access networks. Although this would limit Huawei’s participation in the EU’s 5G rollout, it still goes against the pre-emptive blanket ban recommended by the U.S.

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This seems to be a logical move by the European Union, given how China is its second-biggest trading partner after the United States. Further, the EU is China’s biggest trading partner. So, a complete ban on Huawei equipment wouldn’t have been a wise choice. Further, it follows the UK’s decision to allow Huawei in building its 5G networks in a limited capacity.

The UK announced yesterday that it would allow Huawei equipment in building its 5G network in the non-core areas. However, at no point would Chinese equipment exceed 35% in any part of its network. This decision made by the U.S. ally is yet another blow to the Trump administration who has urged everyone to outright ban Huawei from participating in the deployment of 5G networks.

Currently, top mobile network operators in the UK are all using Huawei equipment for their 5G networks in some capacity. However, after yesterday’s decision by the government, it remains to be seen how many of them will have to replace existing equipment with other brands.

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(Source)

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Germany has said it will allow Huawei to build 5G infrastructure in their country if the Chinese telecommunications giant meets security requirements.

The info was revealed by Jochen Homann, the head of Bundesnetzagentur- Germany’s Federal Network Agency, in an interview with the Financial Times. Mr. Homann said no equipment suppliers “should, or may, be specifically excluded.”. He added that they haven’t found proof of Huawei being a security risk.

He also revealed that banning Huawei will affect Deutsche Telekom and its rivals which all work with Huawei technologies already. If they were to prevent Huawei from joining the race, it will slow down the roll-out of the new network technology.

The US which has banned Huawei from setting up 5G infrastructure in the States is urging its allies to do the same. While some like Australia, Japan, and New Zealand have followed suit, others like the EU have ignored the request. The US says it will reduce intelligence sharing with Germany if they allow Huawei to build their 5G equipment.

The UK, on the other hand, has confirmed there are indeed security risks, such as “poor software engineering” and a lack of “cybersecurity hygiene” which puts the networks at risk by anyone who can take advantage of them and not just the Chinese state government. However, it hasn’t issued a ban on the communications equipment manufacturer.

Germany is proposing a unified global convention is established that prevents all equipment suppliers from installing backdoors and also requires them to sign a no-spy agreement. CEO of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei said they are in support of the no-spy agreement with Germany in an interview on CNBC.

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In other news, Huawei had a conference today in Shenzhen where it revealed that it had won 50 5G network commercial contracts, 10 more than last year’s commercial 5G contracts. Hu Houkum, the vice chairman of Huawei said at the event that he believes 5G is faster than expected and he predicts it will have up to 500 million users in three years. This will be a faster adoption rate than 3G and 4G which took 10 years and 5 years respectively to reach that figure.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3)

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According to a recent EPO 2018 Annual report, Siemens has filed the most patent applications in Europe, drifting Huawei to the second place. In total, Siemens filed 2493 patent applications with a Year-on-Year increase of over 12.4%. On the other hand, Huawei registered 2485 patent applications with 3.6% growth on YoY basis. It is the only Chinese company which has made it to the top 10 EPO applicants list.

There are three US companies, four are from Europe and the remaining two are from the Republic of Korea in the list. Oppo is another Chinese manufacturer who has made a debut into the top 50 list. It is the 39th top filer at the EPO with 523 patent applications and registering 1276.3% of overall growth in a year. Apple managed to file 375 applications while holding 50th place on the list.

Amid the US pressure, the Chinese telecom network supplier has managed to restrain its R&D operations from falling. Oppo also did a commendable job and made it straight into the top 50 list.

Samsung with 2449 application managed the third spot with an increase of over 21.5%. Further, it is followed by the LG, United Technologies, Qualcomm and Ericsson in the top 10 list.

Moreover, EPO has witnessed a 20.8% increase in applications from 2017. Majority of the application in the last year were by American companies, constituting over 43612 patent filings. United Technologies remained the most active US company to register 1983 applications while Qualcomm stood second with 1563 applications. Notably, US companies filed nearly twice as much as the second largest filer, Germany.

• Read More: Xiaomi ranks 11th in the world for AI patent applications, beats Huawei and Qualcomm

Since last year, the US started its clampdown on Huawei, shunning its 5G infrastructure on its home turf and allied nations. Australia, Japan, New Zeland, Austria, and some other countries denied Huawei from participating in 5G infrastructure trials. It led Huawei to sue the US Government last week.

(source)

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