HP “sought to take advantage of customers’ sunk costs,” printer owners claimed this week in a class action lawsuit against the hardware giant. Lawyers representing the aggrieved were responding [PDF] in an Illinois court to an earlier HP Inc motion to dismiss a January lawsuit. Among other things, the plaintiffs’ filing stated that the printer Read more about We never agreed to only buy HP ink, say printer owners[…]
Ubisoft’s online-only racing game The Crew stopped being operable on April 1. Some users are reporting, however, that things have gone a bit further. They say that the company actually reached into Ubisoft Connect accounts and revoked the license to access the game, according to reports by Game Rant and others. Some of these users Read more about Ubisoft is deleting The Crew from players’ libraries, reminding us we own nothing[…]
It will become mandatory for payment service providers, such as banks, that offer standard credit transfers in euros to offer the sending and receipt of instant payments in euros. The regulation relating to this has now been published. Thanks to the regulation, people will be able to transfer money within 10 seconds at any time Read more about 10 second Euro Instant payments now mandatory in NL[…]
Essentially, all software is built using open source. By Synopsys’ count, 96% of all codebases contain open-source software. Lately, though, there’s been a very disturbing trend. A company will make its program using open source, make millions from it, and then — and only then — switch licenses, leaving their contributors, customers, and partners in Read more about Software vendors dump open source, go for the cash grab – Redis is the latest[…]
Court filings unsealed last week allege Meta created an internal effort to spy on Snapchat in a secret initiative called “Project Ghostbusters.” Meta did so through Onavo, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service the company offered between 2016 and 2019 that, ultimately, wasn’t private at all. “Whenever someone asks a question about Snapchat, the answer Read more about Project Ghostbusters: Facebook Accused of Using Your Phone to Wiretap Snapchat, Youtube, Amazon through Onavo VPN[…]
The U.S. Department of Justice and 15 states on Thursday sued Apple (AAPL.O) , opens new tab as the government cracks down on Big Tech, alleging the iPhone maker monopolized the smartphone market, hurt smaller rivals and drove up prices. Apple joins competitors sued by regulators, including Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) , opens new tab Google, Meta Read more about Apple accused of monopolizing smartphone markets by US and 15 states. Loses $115 billion market cap[…]
Epic Games has already accused Apple of “malicious compliance” with the EU’s new competition laws, and now it’s making the same allegation stateside. In a new legal filing, it accused Apple of non-compliance with a 2021 ruling that allowed developers to bypass Apple’s 30 percent cut of in-app payments and is asking the court to Read more about Epic accuses Apple of flouting court order by charging for external links on iOS apps[…]
Since Apple implemented a browser choice screen for iPhones earlier this month to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Brave Software, Mozilla, and Vivaldi have seen a surge in the number of people installing their web browsers. It’s an early sign the Europe Union’s competition rules may actually … get this … enhance competition Read more about Brave, Mozilla, Vivaldi see browser installs rise on iOS since DMA – forcing competition does indeed give rise to diversity. Now Google.[…]
Apple’s compliance measures with the EU’s Digital Markets Act haven’t exactly been universally well received, so the iMaker is making a few tweaks to appease the software-developing masses. In a post to its developer site today, Apple said it is modifying not only how developers can distribute apps, but also changing the structure of alternative Read more about Apple stamps feet but now to let EU developers distribute apps from the web[…]
Developers who want to sideload apps on Android, or offer apps outside the Play Store, will have to pay for this . It has been possible to have so-called apk files installed on Android smartphones and tablets for some time, but now Google is going to charge money for this. The company does this on Read more about Google will charge money for sideloading apps on Android[…]
iOS 17.4 is the first version of Apple’s operating system to comply with the regulatory framework of the European Digital Markets Act. Apple must also support alternative app stores, where apps can be installed around the App Store. The availability of this functionality is only geographically limited to the EU, and Apple has revealed for Read more about Alternatieve iPhone app stores stop working when you travel outside of the EU[…]
Apple’s anti-steering provisions that prevent music streaming apps from directing users outside the App Store for paid services were smacked down in the European Union today and earned the iGiant a fine of more than €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion). The European Commission said Apple’s policies “amount to unfair trading conditions” and “are neither necessary nor Read more about EU fines Apple nearly $2B over in-app music purchases[…]
Coinbase is pulling the rug right now. Check their sub and witness the fire. Update: They are now excusing it all with this error. Update 2: I argue it is fully artificial override since when loading the webpage it does momentarily flicker your true asset value and it gets then updated to zero when page Read more about Coinbase pulls rug. Crypto holder trading is disabled and all assets shown $0 to users. Bitcoin is shooting up currently at $61k highly volatile and history repeats itself. PTSD from GME buy button disable is real. Not your wallet, not your money.[…]
SINGAPORE – Android users here will be blocked from installing apps from unverified sources, a process called sideloading, as part of a new trial by Google to crack down on malware scams. The security tool will work in the background to detect apps that demand suspicious permissions, like those that grant the ability to spy Read more about Android users in Singapore to be blocked from installing apps from 3rd parties[…]
Google has removed links to page caches from its search results page, the company’s search liaison Danny Sullivan has confirmed. “It was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn’t depend on a page loading,” Sullivan wrote on X. “These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to retire Read more about Google Search’s cache links are unfortunately being retired[…]
The EU single market holds many advantages. To be able to travel, work or purchase goods effortlessly across numerous different countries creates all kinds of opportunities for consumers. But there are still areas where it is not working or has simply not been accomplished, even if it would be the most logical and appropriate thing Read more about Consumers still pay too much to call another EU country – wait, wasn’t there free roaming?![…]
In response to new EU regulations, Apple on Thursday outlined plans to allow iOS developers to distribute apps outside the App Store starting in March, though developers must still submit apps for Apple’s review and pay commissions. Now critics say the changes don’t go far enough and Apple retains too much control. Epic Games CEO Read more about Shameless Insult, Malicious Compliance, Junk Fees, Extortion Regime: Industry Reacts To Apple’s Proposed Changes Over Digital Markets Act[…]
Apple’s new rules in the European Union mean browsers like Firefox can finally use their own engines on iOS. Although this may seem like a welcome change, Mozilla spokesperson Damiano DeMonte tells The Verge it’s “extremely disappointed” with the way things turned out. “We are still reviewing the technical details but are extremely disappointed with Apple’s Read more about Mozilla says Apple’s new browser rules are ‘as painful as possible’ for Firefox[…]
[…] For the first time, new EU rules have forced the company to entertain the idea that you can shop for apps outside of Apple’s own App Store, as well as allow browsers other than Apple’s own Safari to run on iOS with their full suite of features. Yet critics say those changes, although drastic, Read more about Apple Isn’t Ready to Release Its Grip on the App Store[…]
Apple is making major changes to the App Store and other core parts of iOS in Europe in response to new European Union laws. Beginning in March, Apple will allow users within the EU to download apps and make purchases from outside of its App Store. The company is already testing many of these changes Read more about EU forces Apple to open up to third-party app stores and payments. Details emerge what it will look like.[…]
[…] the public too often doesn’t understand how it happens that products stop working the way they did after updates are performed remotely, or why movies purchased through an online store suddenly disappear with no refund, or why other media types purchased online likewise go poof. There is a severe misalignment, in other words, between Read more about Ubisoft Says It Out Loud: We Want People To Get Used To Not Owning What They’ve Bought[…]
The US Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeals filed by both Apple and Epic Games following a judge’s ruling that Apple must allow developers to offer alternative methods to pay for apps and services other than through the App Store. It did not provide an explanation as to why it refused to review Read more about Supreme Court declines appeals from Apple and Epic Games in App Store case[…]
Private equity firms are increasingly buying hospitals across the US, and when they do, patients suffer, according to two separate reports. Specifically, the equity firms cut corners, slash services, lay off staff, lower quality of care, take on substantial debt, and reduce charity care, leading to lower ratings and more medical errors, the reports collectively Read more about Hospitals owned by private equity are harming patients, reports find[…]
HP CEO Enrique Lores admitted this week that the company’s long-term objective is “to make printing a subscription” when he was questioned about the company’s approach to third-party replacement ink suppliers. The PC and print biz is currently facing a class-action lawsuit (from 2.42 in the video below) regarding allegations that the company deliberately prevented Read more about HP CEO: You’re ‘bad investment’ if you don’t buy HP supplies[…]
Apple is keeping a firm grip on people with alternative marketplaces, fleecing them for money but also for other control. Here are some of the terms Apple requires you to conform to in order to start up your own app store (which they call alternative marketplace): If you’re interested in becoming a marketplace developer in Read more about I can have app store? Apple: yes but NO! Give €1,000,000 + lock in to Apple ecosystem. This is how to “comply” with EU anti competition law[…]