A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.
In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.
LMAOOOO get fucked, Apple we love your hardware and your software (when properly tested first), but given you’ve had a great run with the fees now it’s time to let us own our hardware at least a little.
5%? Not messing around. No wrist slap there.
Let’s go freedom, let’s go Apple-but-the-right-way (please)!
With all respect for people who hate Apple (myself included), this doesn't look like how penalties should work. I doubt there are adequate standards of how an entity like EU can request any percentage of global revenue from anyone. What would you do if you request any more than Apple considers adequate and decides it's more profitable to just leave your market?
Problem is companies like to use global accounting schemes to hide/move profit.
If it was “5% of profit in the EU” then overnight Apple would suddenly make 0 profit in the EU due to “brand licensing fees” to Apple Cayman Islands Incorporated.
I mean it's kind of classic issues with unions. It doesn't work if only place is doing it, but the more that do, the less market they have access to. Europe is a pretty decent sized market, so it may still hurt. And if they do leave, well China certainly has a lot of their own homegrown solutions, so that's not an entirely unreasonable option.