Dude cmon this is not how the legal system works, you can't just pretend that there's such a thing as an "essential computing device" as if iPhones are a human right or some shit
An Xbox or PS5 is not needed to live a normal life (if you ask my girlfriend it's even the opposite :)
If I want to file my taxes (in Australia), I need an authentication app that's only available on iOS or Android. I can't use an Xbox or a Playstation. That's the difference.
Before you say desktop OSs are not the same thing, it is to the government. The difference between iOS and macOS is the same as Windows XP and Windows Vista legally, Google only got dinged as a monopoly in the Epic case because of preferential treatment, not because it was "essential" or that the smartphone market is any way distinct or unique enough for that. Microsoft got dinged because it was 95% of the personal computing market in general. Apple is not even close here.
It is fine to suggest abuse and sending warnings, but if you've even remotely looked at any of the legal cases the US government brought against tech companies in the past, you'd know how much of a joke it is when people talk like this.
"Will there be a desktop version of myGovID?
No, a desktop version or browser-based version of myGovID will not be supported. To use myGovID, you will need your own compatible smart device."
https://www.abr.gov.au/media-centre/featured-news/business-s...
And given I'm overseas, I also do not have the option of using something other than an electronic device. To be honest, I don't even know if I could if I were living in Australia.
In the real world, Apple/Android devices are in a completely separate category from gaming consoles.
Try it out, for the duration of a month only use your smartphone for texting and calls and do not touch any PC. If you balk at that idea, well, there you go.
Why would I not touch a PC? You're just moving goalposts, Apple is not stopping you from buying a Chromebook. That's what anti-trust legislation is about.
No, they give them smartphones. You are so woefully ignorant.
> Why would I not touch a PC? You're just moving goalposts
I am not, you are. We were talking about how essential these devices are to daily life. My post even explicitly talks about locking down PCs.
It doesn't matter anyway, you are just looking to argue. I wish you good luck in life with that attitude.
More to the point, everything you've said is just a lie. I don't want any luck from you.
So, yes a smartphone is now an "essential computing device". This is no longer a matter of opinion. Its now a matter of fact.
I can only watch cable news on TV, am I going to call that an essential computing device too?
If that is the only way you can find out about what is happening to the government responsible for your safety and wellbeing or alerts about impending disasters... absolutely!
Phones are literally essential computing devices in modern society as it is the primary source of important information whether it be about family, government, or national emergencies for a large swath of the population.
Cool, it doesn't matter because US courts disagree with you, even if they did agree with you, there's nothing in the constitution that says the welfare of American society is in jeopardy because Apple sets rules on their own devices that you don't have to buy.
Your argument literally only makes sense if you pretend Android doesn't exist. It is not possible to exhibit monopolistic behavior if you are not a monopoly, and Apple is not a monopoly by any stretch of the definition.
If you don't like Apple's cut, you couldn't (effectively still can't because of the absurd 1 000 000 installs/updates rule) go to any other storefront.
Before you bring up Xbox or Playstation: those devices are not essential computing devices. You can't function in modern society without access to both a computer and a smartphone. That puts a special burden on the companies that effectively own the software stack on those devices.
Not that I see it happen, but lets paint a PC horror scenario:
- Microsoft starts demanding to motherboard and laptop manufacturers to include their Pluton security chip
- Secure Boot can no longer be disabled
- They restructures the Windows kernel in such a way that DirectX is much faster than Vulkan
- They only allow games on the Microsoft Store access to DirectX 12.3 and 13
- Hell, _anything_ not installed from the Microsoft Store has dark-pattern warning pop-ups that make it both too confusing and too scary for the layman to install things from outside the store
- Microsoft also starts to demand a €0.50 fee from any developer that gets more than a million installs - with some updates counting towards installs. _This includes free applications_.
Do you see the problem now? Apple is essentially doing all of these things.