digital markets act

Meta Platforms has offered to almost halve its monthly subscription fee for Facebook and Instagram to EUR 5.99 (roughly Rs. 540) from EUR 9.99 (roughly Rs. 900), a senior Meta executive said on Tuesday, a move that aims to address concerns from privacy and antitrust regulators.The price cut follows mounting criticism from privacy activists and consumer groups about Meta's no-ads subscription service in Europe, which critics say requires users to pay a fee to ensure their privacy.Meta launched the service in November to…

Apple on Tuesday announced that it was adding support for Web Distribution will roll out in the coming weeks, allowing developers to distribute apps directly from their websites, without the need for installing third party app stores. These apps can also support system integration along with backup and restore functionality. The iPhone maker also revealed that it was making changes to its policies related to support for alternative app stores in the EU, making it easier for developers to…

CrowdTangle saw its team disbanded in 2021, new user registrations cut off in 2022 and now the site will officially shut down on August 14, the Wall Street Journal reports. Journalists and academics alike have used CrowdTangle to study the flow of content on Facebook and Instagram, including conspiracy theories and fake news. Meta, which bought the company in 2016, choosing to shutter the company is an entirely unsurprising move given it has been the source for many of the social media conglomerate's failings.A tool…

Epic Games touted the European Union’s (EU) new tech regulations on Friday, after Apple agreed to reinstate the Fortnite maker’s developer account as it looks to launch a competing app store for iOS devices in Europe. “Apple has told us and committed to the European Commission that they will reinstate our developer account,” Epic said in an update. “This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable.”…

After terminating Epic Games’ developer account on Wednesday, Apple said it will reinstate the Fortnite maker’s access to publish iOS apps in Europe. This means that Epic can move forward with its plans for an Epic Games Store, and it can bring Fortnite back to iOS in Europe. Last month, Epic announced it would be able to bring Fortnite and the Epic Games Store back because of Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA, which recently went into effect, requires Apple to allow third-party app stores for the first…

As the world's biggest tech companies revamp their core online services to comply with the European Union's landmark Digital Markets Act, the changes could give some smaller rivals and even peers a competitive edge.The DMA is Europe's attempt to rein in Alphabet's Google, Amazon, Apple, TikTok owner ByteDance, Meta Platforms and Microsoft and create a level playing field for smaller rivals and ultimately more competition for Europeans.Elevate Your Tech Prowess with High-Value Skill CoursesOffering…

The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) is officially in action, and the ramifications are coming out left and right. The latest development comes from Apple, which released a DMA Compliance Report outlining the changes required of them. These include immediate and upcoming steps, such as introducing a browser choice screen.Before we get into Apple's changes, here's some quick background: The Digital Markets Act identifies "gatekeepers" such as Apple, Meta, and Amazon based on earnings and users. The law prohibits…

Apple escalated its feud with Epic Games on Wednesday, blocking the Fortnite video-game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe.The two companies have been in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple's practice of charging up to 30 percent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated US antitrust rules.The latest challenge from Epic comes as Apple struggles with concerns about tepid demand for its iPhones in China, and…

Google today is sharing more details about the fees that will accompany its plan to comply with Europe’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), the new regulation aimed at increasing competition across the app store ecosystem. While Google yesterday pointed to ways it already complied with the DMA — by allowing sideloading of apps, for example — it hadn’t yet shared specifics about the fees that would apply to developers, noting that further details would come out this week. That time is now, as it turns out. Today, Google…

Apple has modified some of its proposals to comply with landmark EU tech rules after criticism from app developers, including dropping a demand that those who want to create alternative app marketplaces must have a stand-by letter of credit.The company and five other tech giants have to comply by March 7 with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which sets out a list of dos and don'ts aimed at reining in their power and creating a level playing field for rivals and more choices for users.Apple had in January announced proposals…