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| iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are exhibited at the 'Wonderlust' event at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 12, 2023 |
WASHINGTON, March 22 (mod1s) - The U.S. has launched a lawsuit against Apple with the goal of enhancing competition for the iPhone and providing a leg up to smaller firms whose applications function with the ubiquitous gadget.
In the complaint against the $2.7 trillion business, the U.S. believes the iPhone manufacturer injured smaller competitors and pushed up prices, and the Justice Department is asking the court "to restore competitive conditions in the markets affected by Apple's unlawful conduct".
Apple said the lawsuit challenges the firm and the ideas that set its products different in a competitive market.
In Europe, customers have already benefitted after a plethora of rules and regulations drove Apple to make a number of user-friendly adjustments to its popular smartphone, indicating similar changes may come in the U.S. if the Justice Department case is successful.
Below are various situations where EU competition authorities have amended the regulations and Apple has updated its product.
CHARGING CABLES
Apple's transition to USB-C charges — the norm for Android-based devices – may be the most noticeable shift for customers.
In 2022, the EU enacted a rule making the charging port the required standard throughout the 27-nation union by the end of 2024. This made it easy for users to power up their gadgets using chargers they already owned, or to borrow those belonging to others.
APP STORE In Europe, new legislation have provided alternatives to Apple’s App Store, meaning customers may download software from competitor sources, including websites and rival app stores.
This enables developers to bypass the internet giant's 30% commission charge which, in principle, might mean applications being cheaper. Once completely integrated, consumers should also have access to a greater choice of applications.
PAYMENTS USING NON-APPLE WEBSITES
In both the EU and the U.S., app developers may drive users to their own websites to purchase products, rather than needing to utilize Apple’s in-app shopping mechanism, which also gets a 30% share.
The modification was implemented in the EU in accordance with the newly approved Digital Markets Act. In the U.S., Apple’s hand was pushed after a lawsuit by Fortnite-maker Epic Games, a frequent opponent of the tech giant’s business methods.
BROWSERS
Another reform in Europe implemented to comply with the EU digital markets directive affects default web browsers. Safari has been the default browser for iPhones since the gadget was originally introduced in 2007.
While iPhone users could previously change their default to a rival like Google Chrome or Opera, they will now be automatically be offered the chance to switch upon launching Safari in the newest Apple software update, iOS 17.4.
Pushing back against the EU amendments, Apple claimed consumers would be confronted with a list of alternatives without the time to learn about them, and warned it would disrupt their browsing experience.