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Epic celebrates "the end of the Apple Tax" after court win in iOS payments case

(arstechnica.com)
432 points nobody9999 | 4 comments | 12 Dec 25 16:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.613s | source
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codedokode ◴[12 Dec 25 17:38 UTC] No.46246465[source]▶
In my opinion, every manufacturer of a programmable device should not be allowed to prevent the buyer from reprogramming it.
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tomp ◴[12 Dec 25 23:18 UTC] No.46250233[source]▶
Well, your opinion is literally illegal.

You're legally (and technically) prohibited from re-programming GPS modules, GSM modules, and probably many stuff in cars as well.

(Actually, maybe contractually when it comes to GPS modules.)

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1. uselesswords ◴[13 Dec 25 01:46 UTC] No.46251189[source]▶
Technical point here but opinions are not illegal to have.

Besides that your point is missing the fact that you are dealing with outside services that provide a contract for their usage (GPS, GSM). You should be free to program your own devices but if you use an external service, then yes they can specify how you use their service. Those are contractual obligations. Cars on the road have clear safety risks and those are legal obligations. None of those obligations should govern what you do with your device until your device interacts with other people and/or services.

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2. tomp ◴[13 Dec 25 01:54 UTC] No.46251245[source]▶
> if you use an external service, then yes they can specify how you use their service. Those are contractual obligations.

Sounds like something Apple would say.

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3. mikewarot ◴[13 Dec 25 04:04 UTC] No.46251887[source]▶
GPS doesn't come with a contract. It's a purely receive only system.

It wouldn't be fit for purpose (letting soldiers know precisely where they are on the globe) if it required transmission of any type from the user. That would turn it into a beacon an adversary could leverage.

4. manjalyc ◴[13 Dec 25 11:45 UTC] No.46253897[source]▶
The difference is apple doesn’t let you modify your device to use other services. Their contractual obligation goes beyond the service itself. That’s why EPIC won this case.