Apple Inc Chief Executive&nbsp;Tim&nbsp;Cook&nbsp;on Friday will take the witness stand to defend the App Store, a booming part of the iPhone maker's business that "Fortnite" maker Epic Games says is a monopoly that Apple abuses.

Cook&nbsp;is expected to spend more than two hours making what are likely to be his most extensive public remarks on the App Store business, which anchors Apple's $53.8 billion services business.

Epic has waged a public relations and legal campaign, arguing that Apple acts anticompetitively by only allowing apps it approves on the world's 1 billion iPhones and by forcing developers to use Apple's in-app payment system, which charges commissions of up to 30 per cent&nbsp;on sales.

The antitrust trial at a federal courthouse in Oakland, California comes as Apple faces a chorus of criticism from app makers including music service Spotify Technology and US&nbsp;politicians who say the most valuable public company in the United States tries to squash small competition.

The maker of "Fortnite," which pits players against in each other in an animated "Battle Royale" fight to the last survivor, is led by CEO&nbsp;Tim&nbsp;Sweeney, who has reveled in the public opportunity to take on Apple.

Sweeney kicked off the trial as Epic's first witness, using his&nbsp;time on the stand to argue that "Fortnite" has become a place for players to gather in a virtual world he calls the "metaverse" and that Apple is unfairly demanding an outsized cut of profits for providing simple payment processing technology.

Cook&nbsp;fielded a handful of questions about the company's App Store when he testified before US&nbsp;lawmakers last year, but he otherwise stayed mostly silent as lawmakers grilled the chiefs of Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc.

Apple attorneys said they plan to ask him to testify about Apple's corporate values, how the App Store came about and Apple's competitive landscape. Throughout the trial, Apple has sought to persuade Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that whatever rules it imposes on developers are aimed at keeping its customers' information private and safe from malware.

But Epic's legal team has put other Apple executives under pressure during the three-week trial. During a cross-examination&nbsp;Thursday, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi lashed out at one of Epic's attorneys who did not allow Federighi to explain the technical details of why Apple does not use automated tools to scan for some offensive content.

Judge Gonzalez Rogers intervened to tell Federighi he would have to wait to explain himself later, when Apple's lawyers resumed questions.

Competition authorities in multiple countries have opened probes into the business, including a case in the European Union around Apple's treatment of Spotify.

In United States, lawmakers such as Senator Amy Klobuchar who are contemplating new antitrust laws are likely to comb through the records generated in the Epic case.

"This case has always been part of a bigger narrative rather than something that's going to decide the issue on its own," said John Bergmayer, legal director at consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge.

Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook on Friday will take the witness stand to defend the App Store, a booming part of the iPhone maker's business that "Fortnite" maker Epic Games says is a monopoly that Apple abuses.

Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook on Friday will take the witness stand to defend the App Store, a booming part of the iPhone maker's business that "Fortnite" maker Epic Games says is a monopoly that Apple abuses. Cook is expected to spend more than two hours making what are likely to be his most extensive public remarks on the App Store business, which anchors Apple's $53.8 billion services business. Epic has waged a public relations and legal campaign, arguing that Apple acts anticompetitively by only allowing apps it approves on the world's 1 billion iPhones and by forcing developers to use Apple's in-app payment system, which charges commissions of up to 30 per cent on sales. The antitrust trial at a federal courthouse in Oakland, California comes as Apple faces a chorus of criticism from app makers including music service Spotify Technology and US politicians who say the most valuable public company in the United States tries to squash small competition. The maker of "Fortnite," which pits players against in each other in an animated "Battle Royale" fight to the last survivor, is led by CEO Tim Sweeney, who has reveled in the public opportunity to take on Apple. Sweeney kicked off the trial as Epic's first witness, using his time on the stand to argue that "Fortnite" has become a place for players to gather in a virtual world he calls the "metaverse" and that Apple is unfairly demanding an outsized cut of profits for providing simple payment processing technology. Cook fielded a handful of questions about the company's App Store when he testified before US lawmakers last year, but he otherwise stayed mostly silent as lawmakers grilled the chiefs of Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc. Apple attorneys said they plan to ask him to testify about Apple's corporate values, how the App Store came about and Apple's competitive landscape. Throughout the trial, Apple has sought to persuade Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that whatever rules it imposes on developers are aimed at keeping its customers' information private and safe from malware. But Epic's legal team has put other Apple executives under pressure during the three-week trial. During a cross-examination Thursday, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi lashed out at one of Epic's attorneys who did not allow Federighi to explain the technical details of why Apple does not use automated tools to scan for some offensive content. Judge Gonzalez Rogers intervened to tell Federighi he would have to wait to explain himself later, when Apple's lawyers resumed questions. Competition authorities in multiple countries have opened probes into the business, including a case in the European Union around Apple's treatment of Spotify. In United States, lawmakers such as Senator Amy Klobuchar who are contemplating new antitrust laws are likely to comb through the records generated in the Epic case. "This case has always been part of a bigger narrative rather than something that's going to decide the issue on its own," said John Bergmayer, legal director at consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge.

Tim Cook to be Apple's star witness at Fortnite trial

Is Apple working with human rights violators? A new report claims that 7 Apple suppliers use forced Uighur labour from Xinjiang in their factories. Palki Sharma tells you more about the findings.

Gravitas: Is forced Uighur labour making your favourite Apple products?

Digital media portal The Information has said that Seven of Apple's suppliers were found to be linked to suspected forced labour of Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups sourced from the Xinjiang region.

The investigation report suggests that the use of forced labour by some of Apple's largest suppliers is more widespread than previously reported. 
 
Gravitas: Is forced Uighur labour making your favourite Apple products?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-forced-uighur-labour-making-your-favourite-apple-products-384385/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Apple’s suppliers participated in labour programs suspected of being part of China's alleged genocide against Uyghurs. The newly uncovered evidence stands in contrast to Apple's statements that it hasn't found evidence of forced labour," said that report. 
 
Gravitas | China: The world capital for forced labour

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-the-world-capital-for-forced-labour-gravitas-333318/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

If Chinese propaganda is to be believed, the ethnic minorities in Xinjiang are happy and prosperous. In a video, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium says the minorities in Xinjiang are happy and carefree.

But there is another side of Xinjiang which China hasn't shared. A report from August narrates the tale of how Uighur Muslims are pushed into forced labour. As the global demand for personal protective equipment or PPE shot up, Uighurs were sent to work in at least 17 companies against their will.

China describes it as lifting the poor out of poverty, but a report by the US Labour Department blows the lid off China's slavery program.

China tops the list of countries that are exporting products made with forced labour. Reports say that the origins of at least 17 goods can be traced back to forced and child labour. This includes artificial flowers, Christmas decorations, coal, fish, footwear, gloves, hair products and more.

In March 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) published a report Uyghurs for sale: ‘Re-education’, forced labour and surveillance beyond Xinjiang, which identified 83 foreign and Chinese companies as allegedly directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang through potentially abusive labour transfer programs.&nbsp;

Activists and UN experts say that more than 1 million Muslim Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region.

(With inputs from agencies)

Digital media portal The Information has said that Seven of Apple's suppliers were found to be linked to suspected forced labour of Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups sourced from the Xinjiang region.

Digital media portal The Information has said that Seven of Apple's suppliers were found to be linked to suspected forced labour of Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups sourced from the Xinjiang region. The investigation report suggests that the use of forced labour by some of Apple's largest suppliers is more widespread than previously reported. Gravitas: Is forced Uighur labour making your favourite Apple products? "Apple’s suppliers participated in labour programs suspected of being part of China's alleged genocide against Uyghurs. The newly uncovered evidence stands in contrast to Apple's statements that it hasn't found evidence of forced labour," said that report. Gravitas | China: The world capital for forced labour If Chinese propaganda is to be believed, the ethnic minorities in Xinjiang are happy and prosperous. In a video, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium says the minorities in Xinjiang are happy and carefree. But there is another side of Xinjiang which China hasn't shared. A report from August narrates the tale of how Uighur Muslims are pushed into forced labour. As the global demand for personal protective equipment or PPE shot up, Uighurs were sent to work in at least 17 companies against their will. China describes it as lifting the poor out of poverty, but a report by the US Labour Department blows the lid off China's slavery program. China tops the list of countries that are exporting products made with forced labour. Reports say that the origins of at least 17 goods can be traced back to forced and child labour. This includes artificial flowers, Christmas decorations, coal, fish, footwear, gloves, hair products and more. In March 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) published a report Uyghurs for sale: ‘Re-education’, forced labour and surveillance beyond Xinjiang, which identified 83 foreign and Chinese companies as allegedly directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang through potentially abusive labour transfer programs. Activists and UN experts say that more than 1 million Muslim Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region. (With inputs from agencies)

7 suppliers of iPhone maker Apple in China linked to forced labour programmes: Report

Apple Inc said on Monday it has hired former distinguished Google scientist&nbsp;Samy&nbsp;Bengio, who left the search giant amid turmoil in its artificial intelligence research department.

Bengio&nbsp;is expected to lead a new AI research unit at Apple under John Giannandrea, senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, two people familiar with the matter said. Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 after spending about eight years at Google.

Bengio&nbsp;who left Google last week after about 14 years said last month he was pursuing "other exciting opportunities".

His decision followed Google's firings of fellow scientists Margaret Mitchell for taking company data and Timnit Gebru after an offer to resign.

Though at least two Google engineers had earlier resigned to protest the dismissal of artificial intelligence (AI) researcher Timnit Gebru,&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;is the highest-profile employee yet to depart.

As one of the early leaders of the Google Brain research team,&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;advanced the "deep learning" algorithms that underpin today's AI systems for analyzing images, speech and other data.

Google fired staff scientist Margaret Mitchell in February after alleging she transferred electronic files out of the company. It fired fellow researcher Gebru in December after she threatened to quit rather than retract a paper.

Mitchell has said she tried "to raise concerns about race and gender inequity, and speak up about Google's problematic firing of Dr. Gebru." Gebru has said the company wanted to suppress her criticism of its products and its efforts to increase workforce diversity. Google has said it accepted her offer to resign.

Bengio&nbsp;had defended the pair, who co-led a team of about a dozen people researching ethical issues related to AI software. In December,&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;wrote on Facebook that he was stunned that Gebru, whom he was managing, was removed from the company without him being consulted.

Though he did not mention the firings in his farewell note, they influenced his decision to resign, people familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Bengio&nbsp;wrote in the email, "I learned so much with all of you, in terms of machine learning research of course, but also on how difficult yet important it is to organize a large team of researchers so as to promote long term ambitious research, exploration, rigor, diversity and inclusion."

Nicolas Le Roux, a Google Brain researcher, told Reuters that&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;had devoted himself to making the research organization more inclusive and "created a space where everyone felt welcome."

Google recently moved oversight of the AI ethics team from&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;to vice president Marian Croak. In February, Croak told staff at a town hall that Google wanted management that could focus fully on that area, saying it had just been a small part of what&nbsp;Bengio&nbsp;was supporting.

Google also pledged several changes at the town hall aiming to regain researchers' trust.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apple Inc said on Monday it has hired former distinguished Google scientist Samy Bengio, who left the search giant amid turmoil in its artificial intelligence research department.

Apple Inc said on Monday it has hired former distinguished Google scientist Samy Bengio, who left the search giant amid turmoil in its artificial intelligence research department. Bengio is expected to lead a new AI research unit at Apple under John Giannandrea, senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, two people familiar with the matter said. Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 after spending about eight years at Google. Bengio who left Google last week after about 14 years said last month he was pursuing "other exciting opportunities". His decision followed Google's firings of fellow scientists Margaret Mitchell for taking company data and Timnit Gebru after an offer to resign. Though at least two Google engineers had earlier resigned to protest the dismissal of artificial intelligence (AI) researcher Timnit Gebru, Bengio is the highest-profile employee yet to depart. As one of the early leaders of the Google Brain research team, Bengio advanced the "deep learning" algorithms that underpin today's AI systems for analyzing images, speech and other data. Google fired staff scientist Margaret Mitchell in February after alleging she transferred electronic files out of the company. It fired fellow researcher Gebru in December after she threatened to quit rather than retract a paper. Mitchell has said she tried "to raise concerns about race and gender inequity, and speak up about Google's problematic firing of Dr. Gebru." Gebru has said the company wanted to suppress her criticism of its products and its efforts to increase workforce diversity. Google has said it accepted her offer to resign. Bengio had defended the pair, who co-led a team of about a dozen people researching ethical issues related to AI software. In December, Bengio wrote on Facebook that he was stunned that Gebru, whom he was managing, was removed from the company without him being consulted. Though he did not mention the firings in his farewell note, they influenced his decision to resign, people familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bengio wrote in the email, "I learned so much with all of you, in terms of machine learning research of course, but also on how difficult yet important it is to organize a large team of researchers so as to promote long term ambitious research, exploration, rigor, diversity and inclusion." Nicolas Le Roux, a Google Brain researcher, told Reuters that Bengio had devoted himself to making the research organization more inclusive and "created a space where everyone felt welcome." Google recently moved oversight of the AI ethics team from Bengio to vice president Marian Croak. In February, Croak told staff at a town hall that Google wanted management that could focus fully on that area, saying it had just been a small part of what Bengio was supporting. Google also pledged several changes at the town hall aiming to regain researchers' trust. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple hires ex-Google AI scientist who resigned after colleagues' firings

On Monday, Apple faces one of its most serious legal threats in recent years: A trial that threatens to upend its iron control over its app store, which brings in billions of dollars each year while feeding more than 1,600,000,000&nbsp;iPhones, iPads, and other devices.&nbsp;

The federal court case is being brought by Epic Games, maker of the popular video game Fortnite. &nbsp;

Epic wants to topple the so-called 'walled garden' of the app store, which Apple started building 13 years ago as part of a strategy masterminded by co-founder Steve Jobs.&nbsp;

Epic charges that Apple has transformed a once-tiny digital storefront into an illegal monopoly that squeezes mobile apps for a significant slice of their earnings. Apple takes a commission of 15 per cent to 30 per cent on purchases made within apps, including everything from digital items in games to subscriptions. Apple denies Epic's claims.&nbsp;

Apple's highly successful formula has helped turn the iPhone maker into one of the world's most profitable companies, one with a market value that now tops USD 2,200,000,000,000.

Privately held Epic is puny by comparison, with an estimated market value of USD 30,000,000,000. Its aspirations to get bigger hinge in part on its plan to offer an alternative app store on the iPhone. &nbsp;

The North Carolina company also wants to break free of Apple's commissions. Epic says it forked over hundreds of millions of dollars to Apple before it expelled Fortnite from its app store last August, after Epic added a payment system that bypassed Apple.&nbsp;

Epic then sued Apple, prompting a courtroom drama that could shed new light on Apple's management of its app store. Both Apple CEO Tim Cook and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney will testify in an Oakland, California federal courtroom that will be set up to allow for social distancing and will require masks at all times.&nbsp;

Neither side wanted a jury trial, leaving the decision to US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who already seems to know her ruling will probably be appealed, given the stakes in the case.&nbsp;

Much of the evidence will revolve around arcane but crucial arguments about market definitions.&nbsp;

Epic contends the iPhone has become so ingrained in society that the device and its ecosystem have turned into a monopoly Apple can exploit to unfairly enrich itself and thwart competition.&nbsp;

Apple claims it faces significant competition from various alternatives to video games on iPhones. For instance, it points out that about 2,000,000,000 other smartphones don't run iPhone software or work with its app store, primarily those relying on Google's Android system. Epic has filed a separate case against Google, accusing it of illegally gouging apps through its own app store for Android devices.&nbsp;

Apple will also depict Epic as a desperate company hungry for sources of revenue beyond the aging Fortnite. It claims Epic merely wants to freeload off an iPhone ecosystem in which Apple has invested more than USD 100,000,000,000 over the past 15 years.&nbsp;

Estimates of Apple's app store revenue range from USD 15,000,000,000 to USD 18,000,000,000&nbsp;annually. Apple disputes those estimates, although it hasn't publicly disclosed its own figures. Instead, it has emphasised that it doesn't collect a cent from 85 per cent of the apps in its store.&nbsp;

The commissions it pockets, Apple says, are a reasonable way for the company to recoup its investment while financing an app review process it calls essential to preserving the security of apps and their users.&nbsp;

About 40 per cent of the roughly 100,000 apps submitted for review each week are rejected for some sort of problem, according to Kyle Andeer, Apple's chief compliance officer.&nbsp;

Epic will try to prove that Apple uses the security issue to disguise its true motivation, maintaining a monopoly that wrings more profits from app makers, who can't afford not to be available on the iPhone.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)&nbsp;

On Monday, Apple faces one of its most serious legal threats in recent years: A trial that threatens to upend its iron control over its app store, which brings in billions of dollars each year while feeding more than 1,600,000,000 iPhones, iPads, and other devices.

On Monday, Apple faces one of its most serious legal threats in recent years: A trial that threatens to upend its iron control over its app store, which brings in billions of dollars each year while feeding more than 1,600,000,000 iPhones, iPads, and other devices. The federal court case is being brought by Epic Games, maker of the popular video game Fortnite. Epic wants to topple the so-called 'walled garden' of the app store, which Apple started building 13 years ago as part of a strategy masterminded by co-founder Steve Jobs. Epic charges that Apple has transformed a once-tiny digital storefront into an illegal monopoly that squeezes mobile apps for a significant slice of their earnings. Apple takes a commission of 15 per cent to 30 per cent on purchases made within apps, including everything from digital items in games to subscriptions. Apple denies Epic's claims. Apple's highly successful formula has helped turn the iPhone maker into one of the world's most profitable companies, one with a market value that now tops USD 2,200,000,000,000. Privately held Epic is puny by comparison, with an estimated market value of USD 30,000,000,000. Its aspirations to get bigger hinge in part on its plan to offer an alternative app store on the iPhone. The North Carolina company also wants to break free of Apple's commissions. Epic says it forked over hundreds of millions of dollars to Apple before it expelled Fortnite from its app store last August, after Epic added a payment system that bypassed Apple. Epic then sued Apple, prompting a courtroom drama that could shed new light on Apple's management of its app store. Both Apple CEO Tim Cook and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney will testify in an Oakland, California federal courtroom that will be set up to allow for social distancing and will require masks at all times. Neither side wanted a jury trial, leaving the decision to US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who already seems to know her ruling will probably be appealed, given the stakes in the case. Much of the evidence will revolve around arcane but crucial arguments about market definitions. Epic contends the iPhone has become so ingrained in society that the device and its ecosystem have turned into a monopoly Apple can exploit to unfairly enrich itself and thwart competition. Apple claims it faces significant competition from various alternatives to video games on iPhones. For instance, it points out that about 2,000,000,000 other smartphones don't run iPhone software or work with its app store, primarily those relying on Google's Android system. Epic has filed a separate case against Google, accusing it of illegally gouging apps through its own app store for Android devices. Apple will also depict Epic as a desperate company hungry for sources of revenue beyond the aging Fortnite. It claims Epic merely wants to freeload off an iPhone ecosystem in which Apple has invested more than USD 100,000,000,000 over the past 15 years. Estimates of Apple's app store revenue range from USD 15,000,000,000 to USD 18,000,000,000 annually. Apple disputes those estimates, although it hasn't publicly disclosed its own figures. Instead, it has emphasised that it doesn't collect a cent from 85 per cent of the apps in its store. The commissions it pockets, Apple says, are a reasonable way for the company to recoup its investment while financing an app review process it calls essential to preserving the security of apps and their users. About 40 per cent of the roughly 100,000 apps submitted for review each week are rejected for some sort of problem, according to Kyle Andeer, Apple's chief compliance officer. Epic will try to prove that Apple uses the security issue to disguise its true motivation, maintaining a monopoly that wrings more profits from app makers, who can't afford not to be available on the iPhone. (With input from agencies)

Apple's app store goes on trial in threat to 'walled garden' 

European Union regulators have accused Apple of violating the antitrust laws. EU has said that Apple has distorted competition in music streaming.

EU regulators accuse Apple of violating the Antitrust Laws

Apple&nbsp;was&nbsp;charged by&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model.

iPhone maker&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;found itself in the&nbsp;European Commission's crosshairs following a complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify two years ago, which said that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;unfairly restricts rivals to its own music streaming service&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Music on iPhones.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;competition enforcer in its so-called statement of objections setting out the&nbsp;charge&nbsp;said the issue related to&nbsp;Apple's restrictive rules for its&nbsp;App&nbsp;Store&nbsp;that force developers to use its own in-app&nbsp;payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchasing options.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-senators-question-apple-and-google-on-app-store-dominance-379186">US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance</a>

"By setting strict rules on the&nbsp;App&nbsp;store&nbsp;that disadvantage competing music streaming services,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition,"&nbsp;European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

"This is done by charging high commission fees on each transaction in the&nbsp;App&nbsp;store&nbsp;for rivals and by forbidding them from informing their customers of alternative subscription options," she said.

This is the first&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;charge&nbsp;against&nbsp;Apple, a move that could lead to fines of as much as 10 per cent of its global turnover. Reuters was the first to report about the imminent&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;charge&nbsp;in March.

Apple&nbsp;will have the opportunity to respond to the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;charges before the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;competition enforcer makes a final ruling. It can offer concessions to stave off the fine without any finding of wrongdoing.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;charge&nbsp;comes a week before&nbsp;Apple's face-off with Epic Games in a US&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;trial following a lawsuit by the "Fortnite" creator alleging that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;has abused its dominance in the market for mobile&nbsp;apps.

Epic has complained to the Commission on the same issues.

Last month, the UK Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;after complaints the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for&nbsp;app&nbsp;developers were unfair.

Apple was charged by EU antitrust regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model.

Apple was charged by EU antitrust regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model. iPhone maker Apple found itself in the European Commission's crosshairs following a complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify two years ago, which said that Apple unfairly restricts rivals to its own music streaming service Apple Music on iPhones. The EU competition enforcer in its so-called statement of objections setting out the charge said the issue related to Apple's restrictive rules for its App Store that force developers to use its own in-app payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchasing options. Also read | US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance "By setting strict rules on the App store that disadvantage competing music streaming services, Apple deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. "This is done by charging high commission fees on each transaction in the App store for rivals and by forbidding them from informing their customers of alternative subscription options," she said. This is the first EU antitrust charge against Apple, a move that could lead to fines of as much as 10 per cent of its global turnover. Reuters was the first to report about the imminent EU antitrust charge in March. Apple will have the opportunity to respond to the EU charges before the EU competition enforcer makes a final ruling. It can offer concessions to stave off the fine without any finding of wrongdoing. The EU charge comes a week before Apple's face-off with Epic Games in a US antitrust trial following a lawsuit by the "Fortnite" creator alleging that Apple has abused its dominance in the market for mobile apps. Epic has complained to the Commission on the same issues. Last month, the UK Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Apple after complaints the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for app developers were unfair.

Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims.

The report from AppFigures, an analytics, app data and analysis firm claims that "permission prompts" have been accepted by 10,000 applications, news agency IANS reported. The report claims that at least 10,000 applications have enabled permission requests to track "Identification for Developer (IDFA)" tags of users that fall in line with the company latest guidelines.

Even then, the guidelines have a long way to go before finding acceptance on the App Store where at least two million applications exist, according to a report by Apple Insider. Out of the 10,000 apps that have accepted ATT, games account for the largest number with 20 per cent of the total applications.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-hit-with-eu-antitrust-charge-over-app-store-practices-381696" hreflang="en">Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices</a> 
 
Categories including utilities, entertainment, news and shopping have an acceptance rate of 6 per cent so far. Apps that track user data significantly - social media applications are yet to majorly conform to ATT, accounting for only 5 per cent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-inc-to-roll-out-ios-update-to-limit-digital-advertisers-from-tracking-iphone-users-380692" hreflang="en">Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users</a>

The report suggests that these "prompts" put forward by application developers include an array of requests to track user data. These include prompts with detailed explanations to default text. The report adds that many also include misleading statements. 
 
The approval from Apple could take a while as the company sifts through thousands of updates that came after the release of iOS 14.5 on Monday, the report added. Apple recently introduced ATT to its iOS, iPadOS and tvOS platforms. It has stirred mixed reactions from everyone for it requires developers to seek permission from users before tracking them in applications across the web.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims.

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims. The report from AppFigures, an analytics, app data and analysis firm claims that "permission prompts" have been accepted by 10,000 applications, news agency IANS reported. The report claims that at least 10,000 applications have enabled permission requests to track "Identification for Developer (IDFA)" tags of users that fall in line with the company latest guidelines. Even then, the guidelines have a long way to go before finding acceptance on the App Store where at least two million applications exist, according to a report by Apple Insider. Out of the 10,000 apps that have accepted ATT, games account for the largest number with 20 per cent of the total applications. Also read: Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices Categories including utilities, entertainment, news and shopping have an acceptance rate of 6 per cent so far. Apps that track user data significantly - social media applications are yet to majorly conform to ATT, accounting for only 5 per cent. Also read: Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users The report suggests that these "prompts" put forward by application developers include an array of requests to track user data. These include prompts with detailed explanations to default text. The report adds that many also include misleading statements. The approval from Apple could take a while as the company sifts through thousands of updates that came after the release of iOS 14.5 on Monday, the report added. Apple recently introduced ATT to its iOS, iPadOS and tvOS platforms. It has stirred mixed reactions from everyone for it requires developers to seek permission from users before tracking them in applications across the web. (With inputs from agencies)

Only 10,000 iOS apps follow Apple's new user tracking guidelines so far: Report

A week of&nbsp;blockbuster&nbsp;earnings&nbsp;reports&nbsp;from&nbsp;Big&nbsp;Tech&nbsp;culminated Thursday with&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;crushing forecasts of how much money it would rake in from pandemic-revved online shopping and growing reliance on internet-hosted services.

The e-commerce colossus is among the internet giants whose businesses thrived as precautions against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Coronavirus">COVID-19</a> led people around the world to go online for work, school, shopping and socialising.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-allows-advertisers-to-reach-children-interested-in-smoking-gambling-research-381052">Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research</a>

Amazon&nbsp;reported that its profit in the recently ended quarter tripled as online sales boomed.

Revenue soared to $108.5 billion, an increase of 44 per cent from the same period a year earlier, as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Coronavirus">pandemic</a> fueled a trend of shopping online instead of in real-world stores.

Profit in the quarter was $8.1 billion, compared with $2.5 billion in the first three months of last year.

The&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;Web Services unit that hosts services and data in the internet cloud saw revenue in the quarter climb to $13.5 billion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-to-raise-pay-for-500000-workers-after-failed-unionisation-drive-381459">Amazon to raise pay for 500,000 workers after failed unionisation drive</a>

People and businesses turning to the internet have boosted the cloud computing market where&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;competes with Microsoft and Google.

Apple and Facebook this week reported soaring quarterly profits that essentially doubled over the previous year at $23.6 billion and $9.5 billion respectively.

Apple was lifted by strong gains in sales of iPhones and assorted products and services, while Facebook saw robust increases in digital advertising, reflecting people's rising internet usage during the ongoing pandemic.

The results followed what one analyst called a "monster" quarter for Google and its parent firm Alphabet, which along with Facebook dominates online advertising. They also come after a robust&nbsp;report&nbsp;from Microsoft, a powerhouse in cloud computing and video games.

The latest round of results is likely to prompt more scrutiny over the growing dominance of&nbsp;Big&nbsp;Tech, particularly with their services seemingly ready-made for locked-down consumers.

"The large&nbsp;tech&nbsp;companies are in the right place at the right time," said Darrell West, a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation.

"Covid has accelerated digital transformation in education, health care, remote work and e-commerce, and that has boosted the profitability of those firms."

The surging influence of&nbsp;Big&nbsp;Tech&nbsp;has led to calls for increased regulation, higher taxes and stronger antitrust enforcement to foster more competition and counter economic inequality.

Covid 'shock'&nbsp;

Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology &amp; Innovation Foundation, a think tank that often reflects views of the sector, said the&nbsp;tech&nbsp;giants are benefitting from the massive digital shift that has accelerated during Covid-19.

He maintained that corporations have long reaped such profits, it is just that now they are internet titans.

"I've hardly been to the grocery store and I haven't been on a plane in a long time," he said. "But I'm using more social media and streaming services. When you have a&nbsp;big&nbsp;shock to the system, it leads to some sectors doing poorly and others doing well."

Countering 'techlash'&nbsp;

Still, the massive firms are facing a growing "techlash" in Congress and elsewhere as their power and influence grow.

Apple this week said it would boost its US investment plan to $430 billion over the next five years, aiming to create some 20,000 new jobs.&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;said it would increase wages for some 500,000 US workers after it staved off a unionization drive at one warehouse.

"The companies are making more money but putting at least some of that back into the US economy, which could mitigate the negative impact," Atkinson said.

Facebook reported its user ranks increased despite persistent criticism over its efforts to protect user privacy and stem misinformation.

The number of people using the leading social network monthly climbed 10 per cent to 2.85 billion, according to the Silicon Valley giant. And monthly usage of the "family" of Facebook apps including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger was pegged at 3.45 billion.

On Tuesday, Alphabet said profit in the first quarter leapt to $17.9 billion from $6.8 billion in the same period a year ago, led by gains in advertising and cloud computing services.

"Google had an absolute monster quarter," said Patrick Moorhead at Moor Insights &amp; Strategies.

Apple, meanwhile, said Wednesday that revenue was the best ever for its fiscal second quarter, up 54 per cent to $89.6 billion.

Apple reported gains in sales of iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, wearables and accessories, as well as its array of services from digital payments to music.

A week of blockbuster earnings reports from Big Tech culminated Thursday with Amazon crushing forecasts of how much money it would rake in from pandemic-revved online shopping and growing reliance on internet-hosted services.

A week of blockbuster earnings reports from Big Tech culminated Thursday with Amazon crushing forecasts of how much money it would rake in from pandemic-revved online shopping and growing reliance on internet-hosted services. The e-commerce colossus is among the internet giants whose businesses thrived as precautions against COVID-19 led people around the world to go online for work, school, shopping and socialising. Also read | Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research Amazon reported that its profit in the recently ended quarter tripled as online sales boomed. Revenue soared to $108.5 billion, an increase of 44 per cent from the same period a year earlier, as the pandemic fueled a trend of shopping online instead of in real-world stores. Profit in the quarter was $8.1 billion, compared with $2.5 billion in the first three months of last year. The Amazon Web Services unit that hosts services and data in the internet cloud saw revenue in the quarter climb to $13.5 billion. Also read | Amazon to raise pay for 500,000 workers after failed unionisation drive People and businesses turning to the internet have boosted the cloud computing market where Amazon competes with Microsoft and Google. Apple and Facebook this week reported soaring quarterly profits that essentially doubled over the previous year at $23.6 billion and $9.5 billion respectively. Apple was lifted by strong gains in sales of iPhones and assorted products and services, while Facebook saw robust increases in digital advertising, reflecting people's rising internet usage during the ongoing pandemic. The results followed what one analyst called a "monster" quarter for Google and its parent firm Alphabet, which along with Facebook dominates online advertising. They also come after a robust report from Microsoft, a powerhouse in cloud computing and video games. The latest round of results is likely to prompt more scrutiny over the growing dominance of Big Tech, particularly with their services seemingly ready-made for locked-down consumers. "The large tech companies are in the right place at the right time," said Darrell West, a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation. "Covid has accelerated digital transformation in education, health care, remote work and e-commerce, and that has boosted the profitability of those firms." The surging influence of Big Tech has led to calls for increased regulation, higher taxes and stronger antitrust enforcement to foster more competition and counter economic inequality. Covid 'shock' Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a think tank that often reflects views of the sector, said the tech giants are benefitting from the massive digital shift that has accelerated during Covid-19. He maintained that corporations have long reaped such profits, it is just that now they are internet titans. "I've hardly been to the grocery store and I haven't been on a plane in a long time," he said. "But I'm using more social media and streaming services. When you have a big shock to the system, it leads to some sectors doing poorly and others doing well." Countering 'techlash' Still, the massive firms are facing a growing "techlash" in Congress and elsewhere as their power and influence grow. Apple this week said it would boost its US investment plan to $430 billion over the next five years, aiming to create some 20,000 new jobs. Amazon said it would increase wages for some 500,000 US workers after it staved off a unionization drive at one warehouse. "The companies are making more money but putting at least some of that back into the US economy, which could mitigate the negative impact," Atkinson said. Facebook reported its user ranks increased despite persistent criticism over its efforts to protect user privacy and stem misinformation. The number of people using the leading social network monthly climbed 10 per cent to 2.85 billion, according to the Silicon Valley giant. And monthly usage of the "family" of Facebook apps including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger was pegged at 3.45 billion. On Tuesday, Alphabet said profit in the first quarter leapt to $17.9 billion from $6.8 billion in the same period a year ago, led by gains in advertising and cloud computing services. "Google had an absolute monster quarter," said Patrick Moorhead at Moor Insights & Strategies. Apple, meanwhile, said Wednesday that revenue was the best ever for its fiscal second quarter, up 54 per cent to $89.6 billion. Apple reported gains in sales of iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, wearables and accessories, as well as its array of services from digital payments to music.

Amazon caps blockbuster Big Tech earnings reports, with profits tripling in first quarter

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;maker from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global&nbsp;shipments.

China's&nbsp;Xiaomi&nbsp;Corp rounded out the top three positions with its best quarterly performance ever as&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;surged 62 per cent&nbsp;to 49 million phones and its market share rose to 14 per cent, market research firm Canalys said.

Overall, global&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;surged 27&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;to 347 million units in the first quarter as the Chinese economy opened up after the pandemic and a swift vaccine rollout in the United States raised hopes of an economic recovery.

South Korea's&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;shipped 76.5 million&nbsp;smartphones in the quarter to grab a 22&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;share of the market, Canalys said. The company on Thursday reported a 66&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;surge in quarterly profit in its mobiles business, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy S21&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;series.

Canalys said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;shipped 52.4 million iPhones in the January-March period, falling to the second spot with a 15 per cent&nbsp;share of the market.

Apple&nbsp;still grabbed record market share in the United States, China, India and Japan, Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said, adding that the iPhone Pro Max was a top seller in the United States.

Smartphone&nbsp;sales have surged over the past year as people stayed and worked from home. But the shopping frenzy has fuelled a global shortage in semiconductor chips that has roiled industries including autos and large appliances.

"Supply of critical components, such as chipsets, has quickly become a major concern, and will hinder&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;in the coming quarters," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton said.

Apple&nbsp;said on Wednesday that the chip shortage could cost the company $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue in the April-June quarter, affecting primarily iPads and Macbooks.

March-quarter&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;for China's Oppo and Vivo brands also surged, Canalys said. But Huawei, the former No. 1 that remains shackled by U.S. sanctions, took only seventh place after selling its Honor brand last year.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest smartphone maker from Apple in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global shipments.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest smartphone maker from Apple in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global shipments. China's Xiaomi Corp rounded out the top three positions with its best quarterly performance ever as shipments surged 62 per cent to 49 million phones and its market share rose to 14 per cent, market research firm Canalys said. Overall, global shipments surged 27 per cent to 347 million units in the first quarter as the Chinese economy opened up after the pandemic and a swift vaccine rollout in the United States raised hopes of an economic recovery. South Korea's Samsung shipped 76.5 million smartphones in the quarter to grab a 22 per cent share of the market, Canalys said. The company on Thursday reported a 66 per cent surge in quarterly profit in its mobiles business, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy S21 smartphone series. Canalys said Apple shipped 52.4 million iPhones in the January-March period, falling to the second spot with a 15 per cent share of the market. Apple still grabbed record market share in the United States, China, India and Japan, Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said, adding that the iPhone Pro Max was a top seller in the United States. Smartphone sales have surged over the past year as people stayed and worked from home. But the shopping frenzy has fuelled a global shortage in semiconductor chips that has roiled industries including autos and large appliances. "Supply of critical components, such as chipsets, has quickly become a major concern, and will hinder smartphone shipments in the coming quarters," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton said. Apple said on Wednesday that the chip shortage could cost the company $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue in the April-June quarter, affecting primarily iPads and Macbooks. March-quarter smartphone shipments for China's Oppo and Vivo brands also surged, Canalys said. But Huawei, the former No. 1 that remains shackled by U.S. sanctions, took only seventh place after selling its Honor brand last year.

Samsung overtakes Apple in smartphone shipments as Xiaomi closes in

Russia has fined Apple $12 million for its monopolistic activities and alleged that it is abusing dominance in the mobile applications market. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) said that US tech giant Apple's distribution of apps through its iOS operating system gave its own products a competitive advantage.

World Business Watch: Russia fines Apple $12 million for alleged app market abuse

A shrinking pool of user data could lead to lower sales for brands and lower ad revenue for mobile apps and publishers.

Here's what Apple's new iPhone privacy changes mean

Apple&nbsp;Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users.

For&nbsp;Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-apple-admits-to-slowing-iphones-fined-34-million-376173/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

For businesses, the rules could bring seismic changes to the nearly $100 billion mobile advertising market if most iPhone users decline to allow data collection, though the exact impact remains a question, according to industry experts.

Apple&nbsp;is requiring app developers who want to collect a digital advertising identifier from iPhone users to show a pop-up saying that the app “would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," along with an explanation from the app developer about why permission is being sought. Some mobile advertising analysts believe that fewer than one in three users are likely to grant permission.

iPhone owners also have a "tracking" menu in their phone's privacy settings where they can opt-out of tracking from all apps on their phone with a single switch or pick and choose among apps to grant permission to.

Both advertisers and app developers who sell ad inventory say if many iPhone users opt-out of tracking, it will make advertising less effective. The ad industry has long gathered data about people's web browsing behavior in order to serve up ads, such as for clothes or cars, that users might be interested in.

A shrinking pool of user data could lead to lower sales for brands and lower ad revenue for mobile apps and publishers.&nbsp;Apple's move has deepened a rift with Facebook Inc, which has said the change will hurt small businesses because it will impede their ability to cost-effectively find local customers to target with advertisements.

Apple&nbsp;has said it wanted to give its customers more control over whether data collected on them by apps is shared with third parties.

Can apps still collect data on iPhone users?

Yes, data collection is still allowed if it is spelled out in an app's privacy policy. The changes only affect whether app developers share data they collect with third parties, or mix their data with outside data from third parties, to help target ads.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;has introduced privacy "nutrition labels" to its App Store to show users what data apps collect.

Will iPhone apps still have ads?

Yes, iPhone users can still see ads even if they decline the new pop-up, as long as those ads are targeted using data the app developer has collected on its own. For example, a social network like Facebook Inc can still target ads based on first-party data such as which groups users join or which posts they like. But if Facebook wants to target ads based on data from which third-party websites users have used their Facebook credentials to log into, it will need to seek permission.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apple Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users. For Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that Apple believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites.

Apple Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users. For Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that Apple believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites. For businesses, the rules could bring seismic changes to the nearly $100 billion mobile advertising market if most iPhone users decline to allow data collection, though the exact impact remains a question, according to industry experts. Apple is requiring app developers who want to collect a digital advertising identifier from iPhone users to show a pop-up saying that the app “would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," along with an explanation from the app developer about why permission is being sought. Some mobile advertising analysts believe that fewer than one in three users are likely to grant permission. iPhone owners also have a "tracking" menu in their phone's privacy settings where they can opt-out of tracking from all apps on their phone with a single switch or pick and choose among apps to grant permission to. Both advertisers and app developers who sell ad inventory say if many iPhone users opt-out of tracking, it will make advertising less effective. The ad industry has long gathered data about people's web browsing behavior in order to serve up ads, such as for clothes or cars, that users might be interested in. A shrinking pool of user data could lead to lower sales for brands and lower ad revenue for mobile apps and publishers. Apple's move has deepened a rift with Facebook Inc, which has said the change will hurt small businesses because it will impede their ability to cost-effectively find local customers to target with advertisements. Apple has said it wanted to give its customers more control over whether data collected on them by apps is shared with third parties. Can apps still collect data on iPhone users? Yes, data collection is still allowed if it is spelled out in an app's privacy policy. The changes only affect whether app developers share data they collect with third parties, or mix their data with outside data from third parties, to help target ads. Apple has introduced privacy "nutrition labels" to its App Store to show users what data apps collect. Will iPhone apps still have ads? Yes, iPhone users can still see ads even if they decline the new pop-up, as long as those ads are targeted using data the app developer has collected on its own. For example, a social network like Facebook Inc can still target ads based on first-party data such as which groups users join or which posts they like. But if Facebook wants to target ads based on data from which third-party websites users have used their Facebook credentials to log into, it will need to seek permission. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users

In what can be called a shocking decision, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software.

As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-senators-question-apple-and-google-on-app-store-dominance-379186" hreflang="en">US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance</a>

Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels"&nbsp;the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world.

The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework"&nbsp;that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/apple-packs-ipad-pros-with-faster-chips-slims-imacs-and-jumps-into-tracking-tags-378985" hreflang="en">Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags</a>

"Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced.

The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook.

"Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used.

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users. Also read | US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels" the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world. The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework" that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified. Also read | Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags "Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced. The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook. "Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption.

Apple has been on the receiving end because of&nbsp;an attack on one of its suppliers.

The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops.

The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch

Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public.

Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer. The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption. Apple has been on the receiving end because of an attack on one of its suppliers. The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops. The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public. Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple faces ransomware demand from cybercriminals

A panel of&nbsp;US&nbsp;senators&nbsp;questioned officials from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Inc and Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;Google&nbsp;on Wednesday about the&nbsp;dominance&nbsp;of their mobile&nbsp;app&nbsp;stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.

Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google&nbsp;can use their power to "exclude or suppress&nbsp;apps that compete with their own products" and "charge excessive fees that affect competition."

App&nbsp;makers like music streaming service Spotify Technology SA and dating services giant Match Group, which owns the Tinder&nbsp;app, have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing for sales of digital goods and strict inclusion rules set by&nbsp;Apple's&nbsp;App&nbsp;Store&nbsp;for iPhones and iPads, along with&nbsp;Google's Play&nbsp;store&nbsp;for Android devices, amount to anticompetitive behavior.

Representatives for&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google&nbsp;told&nbsp;senators&nbsp;the companies' tight control over their&nbsp;stores and the associated revenue-sharing requirements are needed to enforce and pay for security measures to protect consumers from harmful&nbsp;apps and practices.

But when asked by Senator Josh Hawley,&nbsp;Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer would not commit to spending all of the mandatory fees on security.

Explanations from Andeer and&nbsp;Google's Wilson White, senior director for government affairs, about why the companies' fees do not&nbsp;apply to Uber Technologies Inc and&nbsp;apps that sell physical goods also failed to satisfy&nbsp;senators.

"I feel like unfrozen caveman lawyer," Senator Mike Lee said. "I'm not grasping it."

Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about a call Match said it received late on Tuesday from its business counterpart at&nbsp;Google.

Match's Chief Legal Officer Jared Sine said&nbsp;Google&nbsp;wanted to know why Sine's planned testimony, which had just been released, deviated from previous comments the dating company had made.

"It looks like a threat, it talks like a threat, it's a threat," Blumenthal said of the call, vowing to investigate&nbsp;Google's action further.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/apple-google-come-under-fire-at-senate-antitrust-hearing-379173/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Google's White said the call reflected an effort to ask an honest question and the company would never threaten partners.

In his testimony, Match's Sine argued that&nbsp;Google&nbsp;and&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;both exact an onerous 30 per cent&nbsp;of any digital transaction, raising prices for consumers.

Match pays nearly $500 million in fees to the&nbsp;app&nbsp;stores annually, the company's single largest expense, Sine said.

Spotify and Match said&nbsp;Apple's&nbsp;app&nbsp;review process was opaque. Sine said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;blocked a safety update to the Tinder&nbsp;app&nbsp;meant to warn LGBTQ+ users if they were traveling to a country where it might be dangerous to expose their identity because&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said the update violated the "spirit" of a new rule.

But&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;would not explain how to fix the issue, Sine said. He said that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;approved the update two months later only after senior leaders at Match's parent company at the time, IAC/Interactivecorp, raised the issue with&nbsp;Apple's senior leaders.

The hearing came a day after&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said it would begin selling AirTags - which can be attached to items like car keys to help users find them when they are lost - in direct competition with Tile, which has sold a similar tracking device for more than a decade.

Apple&nbsp;said its AirTags were an outgrowth of its "FindMy"&nbsp;app, which is used for locating lost&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;devices and to share user locations and was introduced in 2010, before Tile's founding.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;last month opened its operating system up to alternative item trackers and said that Chipolo, a startup competing with Tile and AirTags, is using the system.

Tile General Counsel Kirsten Daru testified&nbsp;Apple's FindMy program is installed by default on&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;phones and cannot be deleted.

"Apple&nbsp;has once again exploited its market power and&nbsp;dominance&nbsp;to condition our customers’ access to data on effectively breaking our user experience and directing our users to FindMy," she said.

A panel of US senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.

A panel of US senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors. Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said Apple and Google can use their power to "exclude or suppress apps that compete with their own products" and "charge excessive fees that affect competition." App makers like music streaming service Spotify Technology SA and dating services giant Match Group, which owns the Tinder app, have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing for sales of digital goods and strict inclusion rules set by Apple's App Store for iPhones and iPads, along with Google's Play store for Android devices, amount to anticompetitive behavior. Representatives for Apple and Google told senators the companies' tight control over their stores and the associated revenue-sharing requirements are needed to enforce and pay for security measures to protect consumers from harmful apps and practices. But when asked by Senator Josh Hawley, Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer would not commit to spending all of the mandatory fees on security. Explanations from Andeer and Google's Wilson White, senior director for government affairs, about why the companies' fees do not apply to Uber Technologies Inc and apps that sell physical goods also failed to satisfy senators. "I feel like unfrozen caveman lawyer," Senator Mike Lee said. "I'm not grasping it." Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about a call Match said it received late on Tuesday from its business counterpart at Google. Match's Chief Legal Officer Jared Sine said Google wanted to know why Sine's planned testimony, which had just been released, deviated from previous comments the dating company had made. "It looks like a threat, it talks like a threat, it's a threat," Blumenthal said of the call, vowing to investigate Google's action further. Google's White said the call reflected an effort to ask an honest question and the company would never threaten partners. In his testimony, Match's Sine argued that Google and Apple both exact an onerous 30 per cent of any digital transaction, raising prices for consumers. Match pays nearly $500 million in fees to the app stores annually, the company's single largest expense, Sine said. Spotify and Match said Apple's app review process was opaque. Sine said Apple blocked a safety update to the Tinder app meant to warn LGBTQ+ users if they were traveling to a country where it might be dangerous to expose their identity because Apple said the update violated the "spirit" of a new rule. But Apple would not explain how to fix the issue, Sine said. He said that Apple approved the update two months later only after senior leaders at Match's parent company at the time, IAC/Interactivecorp, raised the issue with Apple's senior leaders. The hearing came a day after Apple said it would begin selling AirTags - which can be attached to items like car keys to help users find them when they are lost - in direct competition with Tile, which has sold a similar tracking device for more than a decade. Apple said its AirTags were an outgrowth of its "FindMy" app, which is used for locating lost Apple devices and to share user locations and was introduced in 2010, before Tile's founding. Apple last month opened its operating system up to alternative item trackers and said that Chipolo, a startup competing with Tile and AirTags, is using the system. Tile General Counsel Kirsten Daru testified Apple's FindMy program is installed by default on Apple phones and cannot be deleted. "Apple has once again exploited its market power and dominance to condition our customers’ access to data on effectively breaking our user experience and directing our users to FindMy," she said.

US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance

The hearing marked an escalation of lawmakers’ antitrust scrutiny on smartphone makers, and particularly Apple.

Apple, Google come under fire at Senate antitrust hearing

Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags

Apple&nbsp;Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world.

The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products.

A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same&nbsp;Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops.

And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s.

The announcements show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers committed to its family of devices even as government scrutiny of the power and reach of major technology firms intensifies.

The wide variety of announcements largely had been telegraphed before the presentation, which had no major surprises. Shares of&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;were down 1.3 per cent, slightly more than the 1 per cent&nbsp;drop in the Nasdaq index.

The new iMacs, which start at $1,299, feature a higher quality front-facing camera and microphone, responding to complaints from consumers during the pandemic that the computer's cameras had not kept pace with iPhones and iPads during an era of pervasive video calls.

The thinner iMac computers will use an&nbsp;Apple-designed central processor unit and come in seven colors, including purple and green. With a 24-inch (61-cm) display, the iMacs are flat and 11.5 millimeters thick.

The new iPad Pros, starting at $799, use the same M1 chip as&nbsp;Apple's other computers, rather than the beefed-up version of iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company's laptops.&nbsp;

The expansion of&nbsp;Apple's M1 chips into the iPad Pro continues a migration away from longtime partner Intel.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in November announced three new computers would use an in-house processor.

The company also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify and an updated&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV set top box with better color output and a faster processor chip.

Apple&nbsp;shares have risen nearly 95 per cent&nbsp;over the past year, faster than the 63 per cent&nbsp;rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index, thanks to a record $274.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2020 as consumers stocked up on electronics during the pandemic.

(With input from agencies)

Apple Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world.

Apple Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world. The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products. A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops. And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s. The announcements show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers committed to its family of devices even as government scrutiny of the power and reach of major technology firms intensifies. The wide variety of announcements largely had been telegraphed before the presentation, which had no major surprises. Shares of Apple were down 1.3 per cent, slightly more than the 1 per cent drop in the Nasdaq index. The new iMacs, which start at $1,299, feature a higher quality front-facing camera and microphone, responding to complaints from consumers during the pandemic that the computer's cameras had not kept pace with iPhones and iPads during an era of pervasive video calls. The thinner iMac computers will use an Apple-designed central processor unit and come in seven colors, including purple and green. With a 24-inch (61-cm) display, the iMacs are flat and 11.5 millimeters thick. The new iPad Pros, starting at $799, use the same M1 chip as Apple's other computers, rather than the beefed-up version of iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company's laptops. The expansion of Apple's M1 chips into the iPad Pro continues a migration away from longtime partner Intel. Apple in November announced three new computers would use an in-house processor. The company also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify and an updated Apple TV set top box with better color output and a faster processor chip. Apple shares have risen nearly 95 per cent over the past year, faster than the 63 per cent rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index, thanks to a record $274.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2020 as consumers stocked up on electronics during the pandemic. (With input from agencies)

Apple targets remote workers with new iPad Pro, slim iMacs using own chips

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to&nbsp;Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday.

Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead.

They accused the app, which is backed by prominent Republican Party donor Rebekah Mercer, of failing to police violent content on its service.

A team at&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;devoted to reviewing whether apps submitted to its App Store conform to its policies has approved a modified version of Parler, which had become popular with conservatives before it was booted off online marketplaces.

The news came from a copy of a letter from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;posted on Twitter by US Representative Ken Buck of Colorado.

"Parler has proposed updates to its app and the app's content moderation practices," read the letter signed by&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;senior director of government affairs in the Americas Timothy Powderly.

"Its proposed updated app will be approved for reinstallment in the App Store."

Powderly noted in the letter that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;stood by its independent decision to remove Parler from the App Store in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump.

Buck said in his tweet that Parler's return to the App Store is "a huge win for free speech."

Parler went dark for about a month after Amazon.com Inc suspended web-hosting services, saying the app had failed to effectively moderate violent content.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and Alphabet Inc's Google removed it from their app stores.

Parler returned online in February with Los Angeles-based private cloud infrastructure SkySilk. Its CEO John Matze was fired by the board. Parler also sued Amazon, accusing it of trying to destroy its business.

Apple's letter said the updated Parler app would be available immediately upon Parler releasing it.

Apple&nbsp;said in the letter it rejected about 30,000 apps from the App Store in 2020 due to problematic user-generated content.

It said it made an independent decision to remove Parler for not complying with its guidelines and did not coordinate or consult with Google or Amazon.

Apple&nbsp;chief executive Tim Cook said early this year that Parler could return the App Store if it changed how it moderates posts on the platform.

Nevada-based Parler, which launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets.

In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultraconservative and even extreme-right users. It has since signed up many more traditional Republican voices.

(With input from agencies)

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday. Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead.

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday. Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead. They accused the app, which is backed by prominent Republican Party donor Rebekah Mercer, of failing to police violent content on its service. A team at Apple devoted to reviewing whether apps submitted to its App Store conform to its policies has approved a modified version of Parler, which had become popular with conservatives before it was booted off online marketplaces. The news came from a copy of a letter from Apple posted on Twitter by US Representative Ken Buck of Colorado. "Parler has proposed updates to its app and the app's content moderation practices," read the letter signed by Apple senior director of government affairs in the Americas Timothy Powderly. "Its proposed updated app will be approved for reinstallment in the App Store." Powderly noted in the letter that Apple stood by its independent decision to remove Parler from the App Store in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump. Buck said in his tweet that Parler's return to the App Store is "a huge win for free speech." Parler went dark for about a month after Amazon.com Inc suspended web-hosting services, saying the app had failed to effectively moderate violent content. Apple and Alphabet Inc's Google removed it from their app stores. Parler returned online in February with Los Angeles-based private cloud infrastructure SkySilk. Its CEO John Matze was fired by the board. Parler also sued Amazon, accusing it of trying to destroy its business. Apple's letter said the updated Parler app would be available immediately upon Parler releasing it. Apple said in the letter it rejected about 30,000 apps from the App Store in 2020 due to problematic user-generated content. It said it made an independent decision to remove Parler for not complying with its guidelines and did not coordinate or consult with Google or Amazon. Apple chief executive Tim Cook said early this year that Parler could return the App Store if it changed how it moderates posts on the platform. Nevada-based Parler, which launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets. In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultraconservative and even extreme-right users. It has since signed up many more traditional Republican voices. (With input from agencies)

Apple to bring social media platform Parler back to App Store

Facebook on Monday said it is adding podcasts and "live audio rooms" in a push to get people talking and take on the fast-growing audio-based app Clubhouse.

Facebook's incursion into the audio market comes as the sudden explosion of interest in Clubhouse, an audio app where billionaires and celebrities including Tesla CEO Elon Musk have popped in to chat, could be waning.

Downloads of the Clubhouse app, which is only available on Apple's iOS devices, suffered an estimated 70 per cent&nbsp;decline in March from February when it hit a high.

Facebook has seen a steady rise in users opting for voice, from audio calls at the social network to leaving spoken messages using WhatsApp of Messenger.

Zuckerberg said the world's largest social media network planned in the coming months to launch features including short-form audio clips called "Soundbites" and ways to create sound effects or improve audio quality.&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;said in a blog post&nbsp;it would begin to test live audio rooms, which would launch by the summer.

Zuckerberg said&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;was looking to "treat audio as a first-class medium in the way that we would photos or video" in an interview on Discord with Casey Newton, editor of newsletter Platformer.

The rapid growth of the year-old app Clubhouse has demonstrated the potential of audio chat services.&nbsp;

The app, which is not yet available on Android, faces competition from multiple companies working on Clubhouse clones.

Twitter Inc is testing its live audio feature Spaces, along with new features from Discord, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, Slack and Spotify Technology.

Reddit also unveiled a preview of its "Reddit Talks" product to moderators on Monday.

Analytics firm Sensor Tower estimated Clubhouse had a 72 per cent&nbsp;decline in growth from about 9.6 million February installs to about 2.4 million in March.

Facebook, which has long been criticized for its handling of problematic content across its products, will face the challenges of moderating live and recorded audio content.

Facebook&nbsp;said its live audio rooms would be available on its Messenger product and in its main app. It said it would test the rooms with public figures as well as in Groups - a product the company has vigorously promoted as providing places for people with common interests but which have also been used to spread misinformation and organize extremist activity.

As part of the announcements, Zuckerberg also said&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;is working with Spotify on "Project Boombox" to share and listen to music on its platform.

Facebook&nbsp;said users would be able to send donations, or tips, to creators in live audio rooms through "Stars". After launch, it will offer other types of monetization like single-purchase access or subscription for rooms. It also announced an audio creator fund for Soundbites.

The company is working to attract more creators who are accustomed to receiving tips and other direct payments from fans.

More than 170 million people are connected to Facebook pages centered on podcasts, and some 35 million users are members of podcast fan groups, but listening to one required leaving the social network.

Facebook also planned to begin testing Live Audio Rooms, expected the feature to be available to all users by the middle of this year.

To make its audio offerings sustainable for the long term, Facebook is building in ways for people creating content to make money.

(With input from agencies)

Facebook on Monday said it is adding podcasts and "live audio rooms" in a push to get people talking and take on the fast-growing audio-based app Clubhouse. Facebook's incursion into the audio market comes as the sudden explosion of interest in Clubhouse, an audio app where billionaires and celebrities including Tesla CEO Elon Musk have popped in to chat, could be waning.

Facebook on Monday said it is adding podcasts and "live audio rooms" in a push to get people talking and take on the fast-growing audio-based app Clubhouse. Facebook's incursion into the audio market comes as the sudden explosion of interest in Clubhouse, an audio app where billionaires and celebrities including Tesla CEO Elon Musk have popped in to chat, could be waning. Downloads of the Clubhouse app, which is only available on Apple's iOS devices, suffered an estimated 70 per cent decline in March from February when it hit a high. Facebook has seen a steady rise in users opting for voice, from audio calls at the social network to leaving spoken messages using WhatsApp of Messenger. Zuckerberg said the world's largest social media network planned in the coming months to launch features including short-form audio clips called "Soundbites" and ways to create sound effects or improve audio quality. Facebook said in a blog post it would begin to test live audio rooms, which would launch by the summer. Zuckerberg said Facebook was looking to "treat audio as a first-class medium in the way that we would photos or video" in an interview on Discord with Casey Newton, editor of newsletter Platformer. The rapid growth of the year-old app Clubhouse has demonstrated the potential of audio chat services. The app, which is not yet available on Android, faces competition from multiple companies working on Clubhouse clones. Twitter Inc is testing its live audio feature Spaces, along with new features from Discord, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, Slack and Spotify Technology. Reddit also unveiled a preview of its "Reddit Talks" product to moderators on Monday. Analytics firm Sensor Tower estimated Clubhouse had a 72 per cent decline in growth from about 9.6 million February installs to about 2.4 million in March. Facebook, which has long been criticized for its handling of problematic content across its products, will face the challenges of moderating live and recorded audio content. Facebook said its live audio rooms would be available on its Messenger product and in its main app. It said it would test the rooms with public figures as well as in Groups - a product the company has vigorously promoted as providing places for people with common interests but which have also been used to spread misinformation and organize extremist activity. As part of the announcements, Zuckerberg also said Facebook is working with Spotify on "Project Boombox" to share and listen to music on its platform. Facebook said users would be able to send donations, or tips, to creators in live audio rooms through "Stars". After launch, it will offer other types of monetization like single-purchase access or subscription for rooms. It also announced an audio creator fund for Soundbites. The company is working to attract more creators who are accustomed to receiving tips and other direct payments from fans. More than 170 million people are connected to Facebook pages centered on podcasts, and some 35 million users are members of podcast fan groups, but listening to one required leaving the social network. Facebook also planned to begin testing Live Audio Rooms, expected the feature to be available to all users by the middle of this year. To make its audio offerings sustainable for the long term, Facebook is building in ways for people creating content to make money. (With input from agencies)

Facebook takes on Clubhouse, unveils big audio push, adds podcasts

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday.

The company said that details of its overseas plant investments, including timing, location, and investment amounts, were still in the planning stages.

It comes after&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;faces scrutiny in China where the military in March banned&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns over cameras in its vehicle.&nbsp;

China is a key battleground for electric vehicles. In 2020&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;sold 30 per cent&nbsp;of its global total in the country.

Pegatron said in November that it would set up a factory in the United States to be closer to its clients there.

Pegatron is best known as a key supplier for Apple Inc, but it has said it sees electric vehicles as a major source of growth in coming years.

Shares of&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;climbed 3 per cent&nbsp;on Monday after Canaccord Genuity raised its rating on the electric car maker to "buy" and compared its brand to Apple.

Canaccord Genuity analyst Jed Dorsheimer upgraded&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;to "buy" from "hold" and increased his price target to $1,071, the second-highest among 37 analysts tracked by Refinitiv.

(With input from agencies)

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for Tesla Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday.

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for Tesla Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday. The company said that details of its overseas plant investments, including timing, location, and investment amounts, were still in the planning stages. It comes after Tesla faces scrutiny in China where the military in March banned Tesla cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns over cameras in its vehicle. China is a key battleground for electric vehicles. In 2020 Tesla sold 30 per cent of its global total in the country. Pegatron said in November that it would set up a factory in the United States to be closer to its clients there. Pegatron is best known as a key supplier for Apple Inc, but it has said it sees electric vehicles as a major source of growth in coming years. Shares of Tesla climbed 3 per cent on Monday after Canaccord Genuity raised its rating on the electric car maker to "buy" and compared its brand to Apple. Canaccord Genuity analyst Jed Dorsheimer upgraded Tesla to "buy" from "hold" and increased his price target to $1,071, the second-highest among 37 analysts tracked by Refinitiv. (With input from agencies)

Taiwan's Pegatron to build components for Tesla

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion.

The over $100 billion category includes five big US tech companies. Hawley has accused big social media companies of clipping conservative voices along with criticism of pharmaceuticals, which he felt held too much market power.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-antitrust-chairman-plans-multiple-bills-to-go-after-big-tech-372191/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The new bill would ban companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook from making future deals and would also stop them from favouring and prioritising their own products over different platforms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/us-lawmakers-press-big-tech-for-internal-research-on-kids-mental-health-374497" hreflang="en">US lawmakers press Big Tech for internal research on kids' mental health</a>

Earlier, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar had introduced a similar bill. The antitrust bill was introduced in February and included similar measures.

Hawley, while referring to Klobuchar’s bill said the following - "I'm willing to work with her and anybody of any party and any background. I like a lot of what Senator Klobuchar has proposed."

He also referred to his bill as "significantly tougher."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/biden-campaign-received-usd-15-million-in-donations-from-big-tech-employees-report-365201" hreflang="en">Biden campaign received USD 15 million in donations from big tech employees: Report</a>

In the House of Representatives, David Cicilline has put forward plans to introduce a series of antitrust bills. Reuters also reported that Hawley remains undecided on his support for Lina Khan, who had been nominated to be a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, which works with the US Justice Department to keep antitrust laws running.

Hawley, while referring to her said that he “very impressed”, but also said that “he has not made a final decision”.

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion.

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion. The over $100 billion category includes five big US tech companies. Hawley has accused big social media companies of clipping conservative voices along with criticism of pharmaceuticals, which he felt held too much market power. The new bill would ban companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook from making future deals and would also stop them from favouring and prioritising their own products over different platforms. Also read: US lawmakers press Big Tech for internal research on kids' mental health Earlier, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar had introduced a similar bill. The antitrust bill was introduced in February and included similar measures. Hawley, while referring to Klobuchar’s bill said the following - "I'm willing to work with her and anybody of any party and any background. I like a lot of what Senator Klobuchar has proposed." He also referred to his bill as "significantly tougher." Also read: Biden campaign received USD 15 million in donations from big tech employees: Report In the House of Representatives, David Cicilline has put forward plans to introduce a series of antitrust bills. Reuters also reported that Hawley remains undecided on his support for Lina Khan, who had been nominated to be a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, which works with the US Justice Department to keep antitrust laws running. Hawley, while referring to her said that he “very impressed”, but also said that “he has not made a final decision”.

US senator introduces bill to ban Big Tech from foreign acquisitions

A senior&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Inc executive has agreed to testify before the US&nbsp;Senate on competition issues related to mobile app stores, days after panel leaders criticised the company for refusing to appear.

The company said in a letter sent to senators that Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer will be available to testify at an April 21 hearing held by part of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-apple-admits-to-slowing-iphones-fined-34-million-376173/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

App makers have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing payments and strict inclusion rules set by&nbsp;Apple's App Store for iPhones and iPads, along with Google's Play store for Android devices, amount to anti-competitive behavior.

On Friday, US&nbsp;Senators Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Mike Lee, a Republican, sent a letter to&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Chief Executive Tim Cook calling it "unacceptable" the company was refusing to send a witness. The pair are leaders of the Senate Judiciary panel's subcommittee on competition policy and antitrust.

Google has already agreed to testify at the hearing, according to Klobuchar's spokeswoman.

A senior Apple Inc executive has agreed to testify before the US Senate on competition issues related to mobile app stores, days after panel leaders criticised the company for refusing to appear.

A senior Apple Inc executive has agreed to testify before the US Senate on competition issues related to mobile app stores, days after panel leaders criticised the company for refusing to appear. The company said in a letter sent to senators that Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer will be available to testify at an April 21 hearing held by part of the Senate Judiciary Committee. App makers have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing payments and strict inclusion rules set by Apple's App Store for iPhones and iPads, along with Google's Play store for Android devices, amount to anti-competitive behavior. On Friday, US Senators Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Mike Lee, a Republican, sent a letter to Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook calling it "unacceptable" the company was refusing to send a witness. The pair are leaders of the Senate Judiciary panel's subcommittee on competition policy and antitrust. Google has already agreed to testify at the hearing, according to Klobuchar's spokeswoman.

Apple to testify before US Senate on app store antitrust concerns

Apple has agreed to pay $3.4 million to settle a lawsuit in Chile accusing the company of slowing down its devices. Building products to fail has become a company policy to spur purchases across industries. WION's Palki decodes the rise of Planned Obsolescence

Gravitas: Apple admits to slowing iPhones, fined $3.4 million

Apple&nbsp;has agreed to pay Chilean consumers $3.4 million in a lawsuit over programmed obsolescence of iPhones, their lawyer said on Wednesday, the first such settlement in Latin America.

Apple&nbsp;is accused of having programmed a limited lifespan into some products to force users to replace their phones sooner than necessary and has previously settled similar cases in the United States and Europe.

In Chile, some 150,000 users of the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus and SE sued the US company, claiming their smartphones started underperforming after software updates programmed by&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;before December 21, 2017.

The agreement provides for a registration period for affected clients, who will have to provide proof of their devices' reduced performance, a lawyer for the Odecu consumer body, Juan Sebastian Reyes, told a virtual press conference.

Each client stands to get maximum compensation of $50, which is to be shared if there are more than one claim per serial number, as in the case of second-hand phones.

In December 2017,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;admitted iOS software was tweaked to slow performance of older iPhones whose battery life was deteriorating.

An outcry forced&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;to upgrade its software and offer steep discounts on battery replacements.

In March 2020,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over slowed iPhones in the United States, followed in November by another $113 million to settle litigation with more than 30 US states over the same issue.

The company has also settled a case with France's consumer watchdog for 25 million euros ($29.7 million) for failing to tell iPhone users that software updates could slow older devices.

Italy, for its part, has fined&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and Samsung 10 and five million euros respectively for planned smartphone obsolescence.

Apple has agreed to pay Chilean consumers $3.4 million in a lawsuit over programmed obsolescence of iPhones, their lawyer said on Wednesday, the first such settlement in Latin America.

Apple has agreed to pay Chilean consumers $3.4 million in a lawsuit over programmed obsolescence of iPhones, their lawyer said on Wednesday, the first such settlement in Latin America. Apple is accused of having programmed a limited lifespan into some products to force users to replace their phones sooner than necessary and has previously settled similar cases in the United States and Europe. In Chile, some 150,000 users of the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus and SE sued the US company, claiming their smartphones started underperforming after software updates programmed by Apple before December 21, 2017. The agreement provides for a registration period for affected clients, who will have to provide proof of their devices' reduced performance, a lawyer for the Odecu consumer body, Juan Sebastian Reyes, told a virtual press conference. Each client stands to get maximum compensation of $50, which is to be shared if there are more than one claim per serial number, as in the case of second-hand phones. In December 2017, Apple admitted iOS software was tweaked to slow performance of older iPhones whose battery life was deteriorating. An outcry forced Apple to upgrade its software and offer steep discounts on battery replacements. In March 2020, Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over slowed iPhones in the United States, followed in November by another $113 million to settle litigation with more than 30 US states over the same issue. The company has also settled a case with France's consumer watchdog for 25 million euros ($29.7 million) for failing to tell iPhone users that software updates could slow older devices. Italy, for its part, has fined Apple and Samsung 10 and five million euros respectively for planned smartphone obsolescence.

Apple agrees to pay Chilean consumers $3.4 million over iPhone obsolescence

American tech giant Apple is facing yet another lawsuit, this time for its fragile display cables in the MacBook Pro 2016 model. 
 
The court has ruled that Apple knowingly sold Macbooks with defective displays to consumers, the media reported.

The US Judge said that Apple would have been alerted about the issue in pre-release testing.

The court agreed that testing of the laptops before their release would have informed Apple engineers regarding the issue. So, the company sold the laptops despite knowing about the defect.

The judgment came in a class-action lawsuit over the MacBook Pro "stage light" fault, in which the backlight takes on the appearance of stage lighting at the bottom of the screen before failing completely, 9to5Mac reported on Thursday.

Apple introduced its controversial MacBook Pro redesign in 2016.

"The court finds that the allegations of pre-release testing in combination with the allegations of substantial customer complaints are sufficient to show that Apple had exclusive knowledge of the alleged defect," said US District Judge Edward Davila.

It was called the "stage light" issue because of how the cable damage would produce dark spots on the screen.

Apple had created a 'Display Backlight Service Programme` to address the issue in the 13-inch model but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that the company "continued to sell 15-inch models that it knew were prone to this fault, without warning consumers".

The lawsuit also accused Apple of deleting official Apple support community posts complaining about the issue.

This is the second case pertaining to MacBooks.

Another judge in the US state of California has also certified the class-action suit against Apple for its fragile butterfly keyboard design.

A group of MacBook users in 2018 filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple for the controversial butterfly keyboards, alleging that the new design failed when even tiny particles of dust accumulated around the switches.

Apple has now launched new MacBook Pro series with Magic Keyboard, which is now available across Apple`s laptop lineup, touted as "the best typing experience ever on a Mac notebook."

(With inputs from agencies)

American tech giant Apple is facing yet another lawsuit, this time for its fragile display cables in the MacBook Pro 2016 model. The court has ruled that Apple knowingly sold Macbooks with defective displays to consumers, the media reported.

American tech giant Apple is facing yet another lawsuit, this time for its fragile display cables in the MacBook Pro 2016 model. The court has ruled that Apple knowingly sold Macbooks with defective displays to consumers, the media reported. The US Judge said that Apple would have been alerted about the issue in pre-release testing. The court agreed that testing of the laptops before their release would have informed Apple engineers regarding the issue. So, the company sold the laptops despite knowing about the defect. The judgment came in a class-action lawsuit over the MacBook Pro "stage light" fault, in which the backlight takes on the appearance of stage lighting at the bottom of the screen before failing completely, 9to5Mac reported on Thursday. Apple introduced its controversial MacBook Pro redesign in 2016. "The court finds that the allegations of pre-release testing in combination with the allegations of substantial customer complaints are sufficient to show that Apple had exclusive knowledge of the alleged defect," said US District Judge Edward Davila. It was called the "stage light" issue because of how the cable damage would produce dark spots on the screen. Apple had created a 'Display Backlight Service Programme` to address the issue in the 13-inch model but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that the company "continued to sell 15-inch models that it knew were prone to this fault, without warning consumers". The lawsuit also accused Apple of deleting official Apple support community posts complaining about the issue. This is the second case pertaining to MacBooks. Another judge in the US state of California has also certified the class-action suit against Apple for its fragile butterfly keyboard design. A group of MacBook users in 2018 filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple for the controversial butterfly keyboards, alleging that the new design failed when even tiny particles of dust accumulated around the switches. Apple has now launched new MacBook Pro series with Magic Keyboard, which is now available across Apple`s laptop lineup, touted as "the best typing experience ever on a Mac notebook." (With inputs from agencies)

US judge says Apple knew it was selling defective MacBook displays

April Fools' Day is known for pranks, but did you know that it is also a landmark day for global tech industry? Watch the video to know more.

These tech firms mark April Fools' Day for a different reason

Brazil’s consumer watchdog slapped a $2 million fine on Apple for not including chargers in the iPhone 12 series. The watchdog alleges that Apple engaged in misleading advertising and sold a device without a charger on unfair terms.

In October 2020, Apple had announced that no charger or earphones would ship with the iPhone 12 series. The company says this was done to address environmental concerns, implying that the phones only have the device and the wire in the box.

"Apple needs to understand that in&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;there are solid consumer protection laws and institutions. It needs to respect these laws and these institutions," Procon-SP Executive Director Fernando Capez was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-doesnt-want-people-to-use-android-whatsapp-ceo-alleges-370403" hreflang="en">Apple doesn't want people to use Android, WhatsApp CEO alleges</a>

In the US, the iPhone 12 Mini costs $729. In Brazil, the same phone is valued at $1,200. The company claims that such measures are a way to limit the company’s carbon footprint. According to Apple, 2 million metric tonnes of carbon will be reduced through this measure, which they claim is the same as removing 450,000 cars in a year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/uk-launches-competition-probe-into-apples-app-store-monopoly-368041" hreflang="en">UK launches competition probe into Apple's App Store monopoly</a>

Many companies are embracing Apple’s move and have now stopped shipping chargers with phones. But critics believe this is another tactic to continue charging customers the same price for lesser services, and is based on the flawed assumption that everyone already owns a device from the same company.

The American giant was fined by Procon-SP, a consumer protection regulator.&nbsp;Apple has not responded to the fine yet.

Brazil’s consumer watchdog slapped a $2 million fine on Apple for not including chargers in the iPhone 12 series. The watchdog alleges that Apple engaged in misleading advertising and sold a device without a charger on unfair terms.

Brazil’s consumer watchdog slapped a $2 million fine on Apple for not including chargers in the iPhone 12 series. The watchdog alleges that Apple engaged in misleading advertising and sold a device without a charger on unfair terms. In October 2020, Apple had announced that no charger or earphones would ship with the iPhone 12 series. The company says this was done to address environmental concerns, implying that the phones only have the device and the wire in the box. "Apple needs to understand that in Brazil there are solid consumer protection laws and institutions. It needs to respect these laws and these institutions," Procon-SP Executive Director Fernando Capez was quoted as saying by news agency IANS. Also read: Apple doesn't want people to use Android, WhatsApp CEO alleges In the US, the iPhone 12 Mini costs $729. In Brazil, the same phone is valued at $1,200. The company claims that such measures are a way to limit the company’s carbon footprint. According to Apple, 2 million metric tonnes of carbon will be reduced through this measure, which they claim is the same as removing 450,000 cars in a year. Also read: UK launches competition probe into Apple's App Store monopoly Many companies are embracing Apple’s move and have now stopped shipping chargers with phones. But critics believe this is another tactic to continue charging customers the same price for lesser services, and is based on the flawed assumption that everyone already owns a device from the same company. The American giant was fined by Procon-SP, a consumer protection regulator. Apple has not responded to the fine yet.

Brazilian regulator fines Apple for shipping iPhones without chargers

The evergreen rivalry between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a>&nbsp;is back in the headlines with&nbsp;another allegation made by WhatsApp CEO against Apple Inc.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/whatsapp">WhatsApp</a>, owned by Facebook, CEO has alleged that Apple has been manipulating users and the company does not want anyone to use Android.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/this-iphone-trick-lets-people-snoop-on-others-private-conversations-367406" hreflang="en">This iPhone trick lets people snoop on others' private conversations</a>

"I assume it’s in Apple’s interest to have everyone using an iPhone, I mean, obviously, it is," WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart started his explanation.&nbsp;

Citing Apple's messaging service, Cathcart said the iMessage experience is better if everyone else has an iPhone, and therefore, Apple has been manipulating the users.

"And you look at a place like the US, most people have an iPhone, and the messaging experience works better on iMessage if everyone else has an iPhone."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktok-lookalike-facebook-launches-new-app-bars-for-rappers-366736" hreflang="en">TikTok lookalike? Facebook launches new app, BARS, for rappers</a>

Leading his point he explained that he feels WhatsApp has been purposely downplayed by Apple. "It's certainly in their strategic interest that people not use something like WhatsApp because they want people to not use an Android phone," he explained.

"If people switch to something like WhatsApp or another service it’s easier for their friends to go back and forth between an iPhone or an Android," he said.

Talking about the privacy labels of Apple, Cathcart said he believes WhatsApp directly competes with iMessage — which, he believes, is more popular in the US.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whatsapp-announces-updated-policy-reiterates-committed-to-privacy-364903" hreflang="en">WhatsApp announces updated policy, reiterates 'committed to privacy'</a>

"You don’t see a label for iMessage when you download it because you don’t download it, it’s on your phone to begin with. And so, we were critical of that," he said.

Dishing out on Apple, he also revealed that he uses an Android phone, even though he has used an iPhone in the past.&nbsp;

"Well, I use an Android because if you look at WhatsApp’s user base, we are very Android heavy. I also use an iPad, I’ve used iPhones for many years, but I really want to actually use the product in the way most people are using it, so I use an Android. A lot of people use both or go back and forth because we’re building our products for both and you got to understand them all," he justified.

The evergreen rivalry between Apple and Facebook is back in the headlines with another allegation made by WhatsApp CEO against Apple Inc. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, CEO has alleged that Apple has been manipulating users and the company does not want anyone to use Android.

The evergreen rivalry between Apple and Facebook is back in the headlines with another allegation made by WhatsApp CEO against Apple Inc. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, CEO has alleged that Apple has been manipulating users and the company does not want anyone to use Android. Also read | This iPhone trick lets people snoop on others' private conversations "I assume it’s in Apple’s interest to have everyone using an iPhone, I mean, obviously, it is," WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart started his explanation. Citing Apple's messaging service, Cathcart said the iMessage experience is better if everyone else has an iPhone, and therefore, Apple has been manipulating the users. "And you look at a place like the US, most people have an iPhone, and the messaging experience works better on iMessage if everyone else has an iPhone." Also read | TikTok lookalike? Facebook launches new app, BARS, for rappers Leading his point he explained that he feels WhatsApp has been purposely downplayed by Apple. "It's certainly in their strategic interest that people not use something like WhatsApp because they want people to not use an Android phone," he explained. "If people switch to something like WhatsApp or another service it’s easier for their friends to go back and forth between an iPhone or an Android," he said. Talking about the privacy labels of Apple, Cathcart said he believes WhatsApp directly competes with iMessage — which, he believes, is more popular in the US. Also read | WhatsApp announces updated policy, reiterates 'committed to privacy' "You don’t see a label for iMessage when you download it because you don’t download it, it’s on your phone to begin with. And so, we were critical of that," he said. Dishing out on Apple, he also revealed that he uses an Android phone, even though he has used an iPhone in the past. "Well, I use an Android because if you look at WhatsApp’s user base, we are very Android heavy. I also use an iPad, I’ve used iPhones for many years, but I really want to actually use the product in the way most people are using it, so I use an Android. A lot of people use both or go back and forth because we’re building our products for both and you got to understand them all," he justified.

Apple doesn't want people to use Android, WhatsApp CEO alleges

Britain's competition regulator said on Thursday it has opened an investigation into&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Inc after complaints that the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for app developers are unfair and anti-competition.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it will examine Apple's position regarding the distribution of apps on its iPhones, iPads and other devices in Britain.

Payment policies related to&nbsp;Apple's App Store have for long drawn complaints from app developers as it requires them to use its payment system, which charges commissions of between 15 per cent and 30 per cent.

Apple said in response that it looked forward to working with the CMA to explain how its "guidelines for privacy, security and content have made the App Store a trusted marketplace for both consumers and developers".

The news however comes as Apple also faces a European Commission antitrust probe into its App Store, while the tech titan remains locked in a fierce US legal battle over the matter with Fortnite maker Epic Games.

The App Store is the only way for developers to distribute their apps for use on the US company's devices to the public.

"The CMA's investigation will consider whether Apple has a dominant position in connection with the distribution of apps on Apple devices in the UK," the UK regulator said in a statement.

Last year, the European Commission too had opened a probe into the iPhone maker over App Store commission fee.

Impact on choice and price

The CMA will also examine "whether Apple imposes unfair or anti-competitive terms on developers using the App Store, ultimately resulting in users having less choice or paying higher prices for apps and add-ons".

Apple must first approve all apps before they are placed on the App Store and developers must agree to certain terms.

"The probe has been prompted by the CMA's own work in the digital sector, as well as several developers reporting that Apple's terms and conditions are unfair and could break competition law," the regulator added.

The CMA said complaints highlighted also that Apple required "in-app" features, add-ons and upgrades to use the US group's payment system, rather than any alternative.

Apple charges developers a commission of up to 30 percent on initial app downloads and updates, the CMA said.

"Millions of us use apps every day to check the weather, play a game or order a takeaway," said CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli.

"So complaints that Apple is using its market position to set terms which are unfair or may restrict competition and choice -- potentially causing customers to lose out when buying and using apps -- warrant careful scrutiny."

Fornite maker's Apple feud

News of the British probe comes two weeks after Epic Games -- best known for massively popular online role-playing hit Fortnite -- lodged a complaint against Apple with EU antitrust authorities, deepening its bitter feud with the iPhone-maker over its app store.

Apple and Epic have also been locked in a fierce battle over whether Apple's tight control of the App Store, and its 30-per cent cut of revenue, is abusive.

That dispute took a dramatic turn last August when Apple expelled Fortnite, one of the world's most popular games, from its App Store after Epic released an update that dodged revenue-sharing with the iPhone maker.

The global war over the App Store has also widened to Facebook, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg accuses Apple of imposing rules for outside developers that it does not apply to its own services.

Britain's competition regulator said on Thursday it has opened an investigation into Apple Inc after complaints that the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for app developers are unfair and anti-competition.

Britain's competition regulator said on Thursday it has opened an investigation into Apple Inc after complaints that the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for app developers are unfair and anti-competition. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it will examine Apple's position regarding the distribution of apps on its iPhones, iPads and other devices in Britain. Payment policies related to Apple's App Store have for long drawn complaints from app developers as it requires them to use its payment system, which charges commissions of between 15 per cent and 30 per cent. Apple said in response that it looked forward to working with the CMA to explain how its "guidelines for privacy, security and content have made the App Store a trusted marketplace for both consumers and developers". The news however comes as Apple also faces a European Commission antitrust probe into its App Store, while the tech titan remains locked in a fierce US legal battle over the matter with Fortnite maker Epic Games. The App Store is the only way for developers to distribute their apps for use on the US company's devices to the public. "The CMA's investigation will consider whether Apple has a dominant position in connection with the distribution of apps on Apple devices in the UK," the UK regulator said in a statement. Last year, the European Commission too had opened a probe into the iPhone maker over App Store commission fee. Impact on choice and price The CMA will also examine "whether Apple imposes unfair or anti-competitive terms on developers using the App Store, ultimately resulting in users having less choice or paying higher prices for apps and add-ons". Apple must first approve all apps before they are placed on the App Store and developers must agree to certain terms. "The probe has been prompted by the CMA's own work in the digital sector, as well as several developers reporting that Apple's terms and conditions are unfair and could break competition law," the regulator added. The CMA said complaints highlighted also that Apple required "in-app" features, add-ons and upgrades to use the US group's payment system, rather than any alternative. Apple charges developers a commission of up to 30 percent on initial app downloads and updates, the CMA said. "Millions of us use apps every day to check the weather, play a game or order a takeaway," said CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli. "So complaints that Apple is using its market position to set terms which are unfair or may restrict competition and choice -- potentially causing customers to lose out when buying and using apps -- warrant careful scrutiny." Fornite maker's Apple feud News of the British probe comes two weeks after Epic Games -- best known for massively popular online role-playing hit Fortnite -- lodged a complaint against Apple with EU antitrust authorities, deepening its bitter feud with the iPhone-maker over its app store. Apple and Epic have also been locked in a fierce battle over whether Apple's tight control of the App Store, and its 30-per cent cut of revenue, is abusive. That dispute took a dramatic turn last August when Apple expelled Fortnite, one of the world's most popular games, from its App Store after Epic released an update that dodged revenue-sharing with the iPhone maker. The global war over the App Store has also widened to Facebook, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg accuses Apple of imposing rules for outside developers that it does not apply to its own services.

UK launches competition probe into Apple's App Store monopoly

apple

Apple, News on Apple, stories on Apple, articles on Apple, Apple stories at Wion, Apple news, Apple latest news