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In a bold move, EU industry chief Thierry Breton has publicly called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to open up the company’s ecosystem of hardware and software to competitors. This call comes in the wake of a face-to-face meeting between Breton and Cook in Brussels, Belgium, highlighting the increasing pressure on tech giants to level the playing field for all players in the industry.
Breton emphasized that, under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), it is imperative for Apple and other Big Tech players to dismantle the walls around their ecosystems. The DMA, a pivotal piece of legislation, aims to curtail the dominance of major tech companies and ensure they don’t unfairly prioritize their own services over those of rivals. Apple’s App Store, Safari, and iOS have officially been designated as gatekeepers, necessitating changes to allow sideloading apps from external sources – a move expected to debut with iOS 17.
Apple has long cited security and privacy as the driving forces behind its closed ecosystem. However, Breton countered this argument, asserting that EU regulations can foster innovation while maintaining robust security and privacy measures. This highlights a pivotal debate on finding a balance between openness and safeguarding user interests.
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Notably, Apple has chosen not to provide a formal response to Breton’s latest remarks, leaving industry experts and stakeholders curious about the tech giant’s stance on this critical issue.