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Apple must open iPadOS to sideloading within 6 months, EU says

(arstechnica.com)
380 points rezonant | 2 comments | 30 Apr 24 04:44 UTC | HN request time: 2.162s | source
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kevingadd ◴[30 Apr 24 05:35 UTC] No.40207559[source]▶
I'm genuinely surprised by this. I figured the differences between tablets and phones, combined with Apple's efforts to distinguish between 'iPadOS' and 'iOS', would be enough to get them a win on this point. If the shared app store is part of the problem I wonder if that makes it a liability for any new apple ecosystem to tie into the App Store, like Vision OS for example.
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kvdveer ◴[30 Apr 24 05:49 UTC] No.40207618[source]▶
Why would IpadOS not be held to the same DSA rules as IOS? Apple has applied the same model of gatekeeping (walled garden) to both the iPhone and the iPad. DSA attaches requirements to the gatekeepers if they are big enough.

Software similarity and market positioning don't really come into consideration once the role of gatekeeper has been established.

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1. ghusto ◴[30 Apr 24 09:59 UTC] No.40209124[source]▶
Because it doesn't meet the criteria. To summarise heavily, they are:

- Size criteria:

    Have an annual turnover in the European Economic Area (EEA) of at least €7.5 billion in each of the last three financial years, or

    Have a market capitalization of at least €75 billion, and

    Provide the same core platform service in at least three EU countries.
- Control an important gateway:

    Provide a core platform service which is an important gateway for business users to reach end users.
- Entrenched and durable position:

    Enjoy an entrenched and durable position on the market, operationalized by having had at least 45 million monthly active end users and 10,000 yearly business users of the same core platform service in the EEA in the last three years.
In fact, the EU has admitted that iPads do not meet the criteria, and are making an explicit exception to include them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm _very_ happy about this, but you asked ;)

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2. Kbelicius ◴[30 Apr 24 11:52 UTC] No.40209986[source]▶
EU isn't making an exception in this case. DMA empowers the commission to investigate, and even declare as gatekeepers, products that do not meet the quantitative thresholds on the basis of qualitative assessment.

Following this decision EU Commissioner Thierry Breton said: “We continue monitoring market developments and will not hesitate to open new investigations should other services below the thresholds present characteristics to be considered important gateways for business users,”.

per the commission iPad passes the threshold for business users elevenfold.