EU Could Force Apple to Put Flash on iPad, iPhone
The European Union's Digital Agenda is an effort to foster openness and interoperability across the technology industry leading to improved user experience. The document, along with comments from EU commissioner Neelie Kroes, has led several news outlets to report that, while the EU's new legislation will have a huge effect a lot of companies, Apple in particular could be affected in a major way.
Daily Tech cites the Agenda as changing the necessary language from 'dominant' to just 'significant' with regard to what companies can be subject to scrutiny over abuse of their market position:
"Since not all pervasive technologies are based on standards the benefits of interoperability risk being lost in such areas. The Commission will examine the feasibility of measures that could lead significant market players to license interoperability information while at the same time promoting innovation and competition."
Daily Tech goes on to say that if the Digital Agenda is approved, it could give the EU the power to force Apple to allow Flash on its devices, as well as allow non-Apple devices to sync with iTunes.
Rethink Wireless quotes Kroes as saying it's not about going after companies like Microsoft, Intel or Apple, but offering consumers a choice:
"We need to make sure that significant market players cannot just choose to deny interoperability with their product. This is particularly important in cases where standards don't exist... This is not just about Microsoft or any big company like Apple, IBM or Intel. The main challenge is that consumers need choice when it comes to software or hardware products."
Read the full story on Daily Tech.
*cough* iphone 4 antenna *cough*
its not about flash being a sub par product. I'll say it slowly so people can understand, JUST BECAUSE STEVE SAYS IT, DOESN'T MAKE IT SO. on the other hand, lots of flash DEVELOPERS are sub par. but then ffs! just look at the quality of most the apps you have to pay for on the phone!! this excuse is BS.
the EU's ideas might be heavy handed. but
"Since not all pervasive technologies are based on standards the benefits of interoperability risk being lost in such areas. The Commission will examine the feasibility of measures that could lead significant market players to license interoperability information while at the same time promoting innovation and competition."
is EXACTLY right! and why I get so enraged when Apple people brag about how into 'innovation' and 'standards' they are.
besides it only sounds stupid because of the way it was said, it sounds like they will be forcing apple to go around and implement a flash player them selves, and make itunes compatible with every mp3 player on the market. thats a bit much... all they need to do is force Apple to ALLOW someone to make flash player for these things, force them to ALLOW mp3 player makers to make their stuff work with itunes. Apple doesn't have to do anything then, they just have to STOP being wankers!
"force them to put flash on the iphone" no... but force them to ALLOW apps developed using the Adobe flash -> iphone app functionality, the clause put in there specifically to block this is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! it would not only apply to flash, but also things like unity as well.
"force them to make itunes sync with other devices" again, no, that makes it sound like it is Apple's responsibility to make it so every mp3 player is compatible. again it should be "force Apple to NOT go out of their way to BLOCK competitors from syncing with itunes" as was the case with Palm, where they went to such extreme lengths as to break the USB standard (oh yes, they are sooo into standards...)
To add to this, who here thinks its not all about keeping app store games selling? that's why there is no flash.
They were wrong when they forced MS to include other browsers, they are wrong here to force Apple to include flash.
What the EU is doing is delaying technical progress.
To add to this, who here thinks its not all about keeping app store games selling? that's why there is no flash.
If I follow you, we have to remove the iPhone 4 from the market because its a bugged device? we have to stop using all the software in the world because they are bugged?
and where is the problem if flash crash under iOS and not under Windows? maybe Apple make something wrong and they are aware about this weakness which is demonstrated by Flash...
So let the user selecting the product they want in their devices, who are Apple to choose what I need? are you god?
*cough* iphone 4 antenna *cough*
its not about flash being a sub par product. I'll say it slowly so people can understand, JUST BECAUSE STEVE SAYS IT, DOESN'T MAKE IT SO. on the other hand, lots of flash DEVELOPERS are sub par. but then ffs! just look at the quality of most the apps you have to pay for on the phone!! this excuse is BS.
the EU's ideas might be heavy handed. but
"Since not all pervasive technologies are based on standards the benefits of interoperability risk being lost in such areas. The Commission will examine the feasibility of measures that could lead significant market players to license interoperability information while at the same time promoting innovation and competition."
is EXACTLY right! and why I get so enraged when Apple people brag about how into 'innovation' and 'standards' they are.
besides it only sounds stupid because of the way it was said, it sounds like they will be forcing apple to go around and implement a flash player them selves, and make itunes compatible with every mp3 player on the market. thats a bit much... all they need to do is force Apple to ALLOW someone to make flash player for these things, force them to ALLOW mp3 player makers to make their stuff work with itunes. Apple doesn't have to do anything then, they just have to STOP being wankers!
"force them to put flash on the iphone" no... but force them to ALLOW apps developed using the Adobe flash -> iphone app functionality, the clause put in there specifically to block this is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! it would not only apply to flash, but also things like unity as well.
"force them to make itunes sync with other devices" again, no, that makes it sound like it is Apple's responsibility to make it so every mp3 player is compatible. again it should be "force Apple to NOT go out of their way to BLOCK competitors from syncing with itunes" as was the case with Palm, where they went to such extreme lengths as to break the USB standard (oh yes, they are sooo into standards...)
Hey if it makes my iPhone play Flash I wouldn't mind your "nanny government". Sure, pushing Microsoft to force people to choose their browser because they were too technologically ignorant to find their own favorite browser was a little much, but it does promote fair competition. The thing is, Apple can't just leave Europe, if they did that would be disastrous. And besides, Apple's iTunes is a terrible syncing system, just look at how many other syncing tools are out there.
As for all the haters who don't want flash on their iphone - simple just don't use it!!!
As for forcing Apple to make mp3 players compatible - that's a bit too far.
I applaud the EU for looking out for the consumer.
If Apple's devices such without Flash than the market will prove they are wrong.
Using this stupid logic all browsers and HTML engines in the past should have been forced to add implementations for all those terrible MS externsions since it was used everywhere too.
How is it any different from Microsoft and their broken IE6 browser? IE6 was so closed and proprietary, it deviated from the published HTML standards to an extreme extend. Hundreds of companies developed web apps that now ONLY work in IE6. They don't work in IE7 or IE8 or Firefox. Why? Because IE6 did not adhere to the published standards. Yet there were no fines or legal actions from that disaster. Not yet at least.