All eyes are on Apple: it has to be one of the most famous (and, to some extent, most valuable) companies in the world. Apple has come under attack from competitors, other small businesses, and the government, and that hasn’t changed in recent years.
But now that we have entered a new year, there are several ongoing battles that could impact Apple’s business in the short and long term. Obviously, a company with so many resources Apple should be able to withstand the elements with ease, although some of those battles will be tougher.
Don’t miss these three battles and how they will try to take down Apple this year.
Apple vs. Facebook
If you keep an eye out for the latest tech news, you’ve probably seen the latest offensive launched by one of Apple’s strongest rivals. Facebook is targeting an upcoming measure that Apple wants to implement: transparency in app tracking.
According to Facebook, this measure would completely destroy the Internet advertising system, which would have a particular impact on small businesses that rely heavily on the ads that advertise their products.
The social media giant has removed full-page ads on the the Wall Street newspaper, in order to position itself as a defender of these small businesses in the face of the tyranny of Apple.
But what is transparency in application tracking? This is essentially what the name suggests. Many websites and applications track information about you using external advertising networks (such as Facebook) and thus collect data about customer activities on the network.
This information is used to create customer profiles, allowing these networks to create more personalized advertising. If you have ever had the impression, after thinking about a product, that you saw it later in an ad, this type of tracking is one of the ways that advertising companies make it possible.
Apple’s new measure would require apps to ask users if they consent to such tracking, which would mean that would only be an option. It is understood that Facebook and other networks (which are benefiting from the current situation) are not enthusiastic about the idea, for the simple reason that most people will surely not accept it.
But, according to Apple, it’s all about transparency and privacy for customers, and it’s hard to argue with. The change is expected to take effect with the release of iOS 14.4, although the battle is just beginning.
Apple vs. Epic
This year, the Apple Store has become a controversial battleground, with most of the clashes stemming from Fortnite. The hugely popular free-to-play game has become a major point of contention after its developer, Epic Games, decided to take on Apple’s App Store for being anti-competitive and unfair.
The problem arose when Epic tried to add an option for direct payments in the methods of its app for iOS, and therefore did not have to give Apple the 30% commission (which is against the rules of Apple). But when Epic didn’t back down, Apple pulled the app from its store, starting its war with the developer.
In other cases, Apple and a developer may come to an agreement and put the issue behind them, but Epic is a great company and while it has had a few marketing mistakes in this battle, it does give Apple a place where she lacks. – Your practices on the App Store.
Apple has long argued that making iOS so restrictive is essential to platform security, but it comes with some restrictions that many developers have called unfair and sometimes arbitrary.
The two companies have already filed a lawsuit, but the official antitrust lawsuit is already slated for May 2021 and, for better or worse, the outcome could have significant consequences for Apple’s relationship with developers.
Apple vs. Gobiernos
Competitors aren’t the only ones with Apple in mind. In a year in which tech giants have come under scrutiny by governments, especially in the United States, Apple has not been able to escape lawmakers and regulators.
In June last year, the European Commission opened an investigation into anti-competitive practices by the App Store and Apple Pay. The App Store investigation began with accusations from Spotify, among others, which claimed (like Epic) that Apple had used its statute to suppress competition.
As for Apple Pay, it is believed that Apple is playing unfairly with other app payment methods by reserving its NFC chips for its own software. The date on which the conclusions of these investigations will be known is not known, but everything indicates that we will have news this same 2021.
At the same time, in the United States, Apple has been questioned by lawmakers on issues related to privacy and the competitiveness of the App Store. Apple CEO Tim Cook was questioned in Congress this summer, along with executives from other tech companies, although they haven’t been as hard on Apple as Facebook and Google.
But that doesn’t mean it’s all over: with a new government coming to the United States soon, Apple and other tech giants may find it to focus more on regulating and legislating their behavior.
Original article published in igamesnews US.
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