This week, Apple reached a significant milestone in its nearly 45-year history: a valuation of over $2 trillion. It’s the first American company to achieve that lofty status, surpassing the valuation of Saudi Aramco as a publicly traded firm. This comes only a year after reaching the $1 trillion mark, a milestone that its industry rivals Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet (Google) soon followed.
But Apple’s rise in valuation has placed the company under increased scrutiny and growing concerns about how it has been managing its developer ecosystem, notably its App Store.
In May of last year, I discussed how the US Supreme Court paved the way for potential antitrust by allowing a class action suit against the company alleging monopolistic practices on its App Store to proceed. Although the ruling was not a judgment against Apple and was remanded to the lower courts — the Court did not classify the company as a monopoly, and did not move forward with any antitrust penalty — the decision does set a potentially damaging precedent for the company.
By allowing this lawsuit to move forward, the high court’s ruling opened up the possibility that there could be, at some point, antitrust proceedings against the company.
All signs indicate that antitrust litigation against the company is virtually inevitable — especially if Cupertino continues to maintain a status quo of allowing only Apple-trusted applications in its App Store and not permitting third-party payment services to be used for in-app transactions.
The foundations for antitrust against Apple
In the last year, legal complaints against the company have increased, as have antitrust monitoring efforts by the US and European regulators. In 2019, Spotify issued a complaint to the European Union, alleging that because Apple’s Music services aren’t subject to the same 30% App Store transactional fees as third-party music services, it competes unfairly.
Although Spotify’s service can be subscribed to outside the App Store via an out-of-band browser purchase (in the same way other companies, such as Amazon, have also engaged in content purchases that bypass the App Store), Spotify argues that the 30% fee forces the firm to operate in an unfair environment, if it wants to offer subscriptions directly via the iOS app.
All of these legal activities seemed to have been pushed to the back burner given the current political climate and priorities of the Trump administration. The upcoming US elections and the COVID-19 pandemic have proven to be effective distractions.
But recently, Apple has again come under scrutiny due to its interactions with Epic Games. The company made changes to its popular Fortnite game to allow for in-app transactions that do not go through Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store on their respective iOS and Android platforms.
There has not been an immediate response by the Federal Trade Commission or the Justice Department. However, It is likely that Epic — a successful software developer that has made billions in revenue from its participation on the App Store and Google Play — has significant financial resources to pursue protracted litigation against Apple. It is also likely that Epic will seek to join forces with other firms such as Spotify to make a more compelling case.
What it means for iOS and Android
While both Apple and Google are in US and EU crosshairs, it could be argued that Apple is in a much more precarious position: Any antitrust activity could create more significant issues for iOS platform end-users than for Android users.
Why? Android already can side-load applications, which includes third-party app stores. This capability exists in the event an end-user wants to install software that either doesn’t conform to the Play Store’s policies (such as adult content) or that simply isn’t listed in the Play Store for whatever reason.
Additionally, Android is fully open source as part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), so there is full transparency when it comes to APIs. Only apps that use Google Mobile Services — which are fully documented by the company and licensed to device manufacturers (such as Samsung and Microsoft) — are considered to be proprietary.
So while increased fines against Google by the EU and the US might be financially painful to Google, the company would not need to make significant architectural changes to Android other than possibly including support for third-party payment processing systems within Google Play.
iOS would not fare as well. If a court orders that Apple must allow for third party application installs, it would have significant implications for the ongoing development of the mobile operating system. It could well require a complete redesign to accommodate any necessary changes as part of any legal settlement or consent decree beyond penalties Apple would need to pay.
Apple has allowed side-loading, but only for enterprises using the Developer Enterprise Program. This program enables companies to create and deploy custom applications on iOS, WatchOS, and TVOS devices, as well as code-sign Mac apps, plug-ins, and installers with a Developer ID certificate for distribution to employee Mac computers. As with iOS, Mac also has an app store, but Apple does not require that Mac systems exclusively install applications from it.
Current versions of macOS and OS 11 “Big Sur” use a subsystem called “Gatekeeper,” a security feature used to enforce code-signing via digital certificates. Gatekeeper verifies the signature of downloaded applications to ensure they are notarized before allowing them to execute, thus reducing the likelihood of inadvertently installing and running malware. iOS does not currently have this feature.
While the Developer Enterprise program has dramatically helped reduce malicious software installed on iOS systems, it is not infallible. The “Exodus” spyware, which managed to be installed directly from Google Play on Android devices, has been distributed using the Developer Enterprise toolsets on iOS devices.
Gatekeeper would almost certainly have to be ported to iOS in order to allow for secure application installs. But it isn’t the only new component and major modification that the mobile operating system would need for Apple to ensure a safe experience for its customers.
Potential for major architectural changes to iOS
It is unknown how modular an operating system iOS truly is because, unlike Android, it is not open source. Google has managed to compartmentalize all of its proprietary functions into Google Mobile Services (GMS), including all the libraries and apps needed to provide its customer experience on Android.
It has done this to separate the open source project that is AOSP from commercially licensed versions of the mobile operating system. Some Android device vendors, such as Huawei and Amazon, do not use Google Mobile Services at all and use AOSP as the basis of their products only.
Part of any accommodation for third-party apps would almost certainly be to put Apple’s built-in apps on a level playing field in API usage. Apple likely has private, undocumented APIs that it uses for its purposes, wholly integrated into every aspect of the OS. Because iOS is a closed ecosystem entirely controlled by Apple, the company has never had to worry about fully documenting everything that it does.
However, If it wished to reserve APIs for its use in the future, it would need to move those APIs into its libraries away from the common user space where all apps run, much in the same way Google Mobile Services is built. But it’s also possible that any antitrust settlement may also require Apple to document all of their APIs so that there’s no “secret sauce” in iOS that is kept away from third-party developers. The issue of addressing undocumented APIs was central to settling Microsoft’s litigation with the US Government in the early and mid-2000s.
There are other issues with the iOS security model that may need to be changed in order to accommodate third-party applications that are sideloaded or installed outside the App Store. In addition to allowing for third-party payment systems within the App Store itself, Apple may need to create a pluggable architecture within the operating system framework to allow for alternative payment systems. Additionally, to firewall potentially misbehaving third-party apps, the company may need to add support for containerization, which is a form of virtualization technology.
Along with built-in support for virtual machines, containerization is a relatively new feature for Apple operating systems. It’s only recently been introduced in MacOS 11 Big Sur, which is still in developer and public beta testing, to support iPad and iOS applications on Apple Silicon. In addition to being used to run the “Rosetta” x86 emulator in order to isolate its processes from the rest of the operating system and other apps, containerization is used to provide a runtime environment so that unmodified iOS and iPadOS apps, as well as ported iPad “Catalyst” apps, can run safely without interfering with Mac system processes. Each app gets its container and only the resources that it needs to function.
iOS provides sandboxing for App Store distributed apps today. However, if Apple were forced to accommodate software that had not been through its rigorous vetting and gating processes, major architectural changes would be required — especially if the company wants to maintain the superior application security model that its closed system currently enjoys.
Apple would almost certainly need to provide a way for third-party applications and app stores to run in a completely isolated manner on iOS, assuming they aren’t using an open source technology like Docker. The containerization technology built into OS 11 would have to be ported to iOS, along with whatever toolsets are needed to repackage apps as installable containers.
We don’t even know how MacOS 11’s containerization works because Apple hasn’t provided any documentation for it yet — much of this is completely abstracted from Mac software developers. This may very well need to change as a result of any antitrust settlement.
The pros and cons of opening Pandora’s app box
The benefits of opening up iOS to third-party applications that wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in the App Store are readily apparent. It would allow for entire categories of apps — currently only available via jailbreaking — to run on iPhone and iPad devices. It would also allow for apps that the company deems “objectionable,” such as those that have adult content.
It also would permit the installation of apps that come into conflict with the enforcement desires of regional governments, such as those used and side-loaded on Android by Chinese nationals during large-scale protests, but which are prohibited on the App Store in China.
Enabling third-party apps to be side-loaded on iOS does come with potential downsides. Much of the value of being an iOS user is the walled garden itself — it’s a safe, well-controlled environment, particularly if you compare it to the Wild West that is Android. Apps on iOS go through a sophisticated vetting process, and that keeps the experience high-quality and secure overall.
Any antitrust activity against Apple is going to target many of these areas. Accommodating the potential demands of governments and legal settlements may require the company to make substantive changes to the way its mobile operating system works. Once side-loading is allowed, it opens up the potential for many issues that can potentially compromise user security and degrade the overall premium, highly curated experience of the Apple ecosystem that its customers currently enjoy.
Is it time for Apple’s walled garden to come tumbling down? TalkBack and let me know.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The tiny Mideast nation of Kuwait has banned the release of the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” which features the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and is set in part in the 1990s Gulf War.
The video game, a first-person shooter, follows CIA operators fighting at times in the United States and also in the Middle East. Game-play trailers for the game show burning oilfields, a painful reminder for Kuwaitis who saw Iraqis set fire to the fields, causing vast ecological and economic damage. Iraqi troops damaged or set fire to over 700 wells.
There also are images of Saddam and Iraq’s old three-star flag in the footage released by developers ahead of the game’s launch. The game’s multiplayer section, a popular feature of the series, includes what appears to be a desert shootout in Kuwait called Scud after the Soviet missiles Saddam fired in the war. Another is called Babylon, after the ancient city in Iraq.
Activision acknowledged in a statement that the game “has not been approved for release in Kuwait,” but did not elaborate.
“All pre-orders in Kuwait will be cancelled and refunded to the original point of purchase,” the company said. “We remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider, and allow players in Kuwait to enjoy this all-new experience in the Black Ops series.”
Kuwait’s Media Ministry did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press over the decision.
“Call of Duty,” which first began in 2003 as a first-person shooter set in World War II, has expanded into an empire worth billions of dollars now owned by Microsoft. But it also has been controversial as its gameplay entered the realm of geopolitics. China and Russia both banned chapters in the franchise. In 2009, an entry in the gaming franchise allowed players to take part in a militant attack at a Russian airport, killing civilians.
But there have been other games recently that won praise for their handling of the Mideast. Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed: Mirage” published last year won praise for its portrayal of Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age in the 9th century.