今天的 #新聞短打 來看一則科技業的消息,上週五美國法院判決蘋果公司不能禁止應用程式 (app) 開發商使用蘋果以外的金流服務,蘋果股價因而下跌3.3%。
為了維持iOS App Store 的平台收益,蘋果一向強迫程式開發商在程式中使用蘋果的購買機制與金流系統,同時對每一筆經過App Store 的金流收取最高達30%的手續費,被開發商戲稱為「蘋果稅」。
扣除三成手續費對許多手機遊戲開發商的獲利影響非常大,特別是比起Android平台, 蘋果App Store的影響力更大,不在App Store上架的應用程式就沒有辦法在蘋果手機上使用,因此開發商只能一邊罵蘋果,一邊繳交「蘋果稅」。
但這個情況可能出現改變。暢銷遊戲《要塞英雄 (Fortnite)》的開發商 Epic Games,去年八月初在《要塞英雄》中新增了遊戲內買裝備與寶物的機制,同時購買寶物的金流完全不經過蘋果。
蘋果在新版《要塞英雄》更新之後,認定 Epic Games 違反了 App Store的蘋果稅規範,將《要塞英雄》下架。Epic Games據此在全球多個國家興訟,控告蘋果公司藉由App Store 機制,涉嫌非法壟斷市場以獲取暴利,違反了反壟斷法(反托拉斯法,Anti-Trust Law)。
經過一年的法庭攻防,在美國的訴訟有了結果。美國北加州聯邦地區法院的判決是:第一,Epic Games無法證明蘋果 App Store 使用非法手段達成壟斷,法官認為「成功不代表違法」。但第二,蘋果 App Store 強迫開發商使用蘋果的金流系統,將會打壓其他金流服務,這部分就違反了反壟斷法,應該解除此項限制。
根據北加州聯邦地區法院的裁定,蘋果公司未來不得強迫開發商使用蘋果提供的內部購買機制,App Store的收益可能會受到影響;但同時,蘋果得以維持「不在App Store上架的程式,就不能在蘋果手機上使用」的現況。
多家媒體均認為蘋果輸了面子但保住裡子,Epic Games 則在幾個小時前提出上訴,希望解除蘋果對手機程式的限制,終結 App Store 的霸權。
無獨有偶,韓國政府在9月1日通過新法案,認為強迫綁定支付系統構成違法壟斷,禁止谷歌與蘋果強迫應用程式開發商使用他們的支付系統。在此之前,澳洲競爭與消費者委員會 (Competition and Consumer Commission) 8月中旬作出報告,認為兩大巨頭的下載平台需要接受監管,以確保自由競爭。
未來如果各國政府陸續效法,立法禁止蘋果與谷歌強迫開發商綁定支付系統的話,兩大網路巨頭的獲利模式將受到相當大的考驗。
「anti trust law」的推薦目錄:
anti trust law 在 Apple Daily - English Edition Facebook 的最佳貼文
#Opinion by Glacier Kwong 鄺頌晴 | "The proposed DMA is not an one-off solution to the problem the world and Hong Kong are facing, but it can be part of an effective solution. The legislation is more than just a piece of anti-trust law, it is a piece of legislation that has positive impact on human rights. I hope more democratic states will adopt similar legislations, so that big tech companies will shoulder the responsibility for protecting human rights."
Read more: https://bit.ly/3bDdb5O
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anti trust law 在 黃之鋒 Joshua Wong Facebook 的最佳解答
[Remember 12 names. Save 12 HK Youths.]
Retweet: https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1310545929699647488
Global petition: https://bit.ly/save12youthspetitions
It has been 37 days since 12 Hongkongers were arrested by the China Coast Guard in the name of illegal entry - contacts with family members lawyers are still rejected while no information has been received from the detainees.
They are a group of young people who love Hong Kong; while their detainees. Your attention on the issue, though might not be able to necessarily bring them back to Hong Kong immediately, can at least protect them, bringing a glimpse of hope to their family members.
喬映瑜 (Qiao)
Despite a lack of related information, she is a girl who loves Hong Kong. Under severe depression, hardly can we imagine how she could endure 33 days without the assistance of medicine, alone.
張俊富 22歲 (Cheung, 22)
Being a student form the Open University of Hong Kong, he should have been similar to other people, leading a simple life. Instead of opting for pleasant university life, he chose to stand up for Hong Kong. We hope that he can safely return home, together with 11 of the others.
嚴文謙 21歲 (Yim, 21)
He is also a student. It was alleged that he was in Yantian, ShangShen China. At that time, his hair had been totally shaved and his eyes dully glazed over – could anyone imagine what had he experienced?
黃臨福 16歲 (Hoang, 16)
Wong is a 16-year-old secondary school student, the youngest among the 12 detainees. Supposedly, as a teen under 18 (the legal age in Hong Kong), he cannot entrust a lawyer on his on device. John Lee Ka-Chiu, the Security for Security, however, claimed that Wong voluntarily did so. Wong’s family lawyers afterwards requested for a meeting with Chinese officials but were forced to withdraw.
鄧棨然 30歲 (Tang, 30)
Suffering from asthma and skin disease, 30-year old Tang might not have medicine since related information was not found. Worrying, his mother’s every single word in the press conference was heartbreaking to many.
李宇軒 29歲 (Andy Li, 29)
He is a 29-year old youngster who has a strong interest in Manga. As a computer engineer, he endeavoured on the career path with self-study. But if he was to choose between personal interest and the future of Hong Kong, he undoubtedly chose the latter. Nevertheless, due to the possible retrospective period of the National Security Law, his trust in the legal systems vanished, having no choice but to escape.
張銘裕 20歲 (Cheung, 20)
As a youngster in his twenty, Cheung originally was similar to other young people, having hobbies ranging from playing football, rock climbing to diving. Since he is relatively more mature, he takes care of himself well. Such an active youngster was however arrested during the Anti-extradition Law movement, being entitled with a criminal charge.
Cheung had once told his father that he needs to “fight for democracy and freedom”, which was questioned by his father as to for what he was fighting for. “For the next generation”, Cheung answered resoundingly. Such a firmed belief continued to glow upon the moment he was on board. He understood that to fight for the next generation, he should first stay alive.
李子賢 29歲 (Lee, 29)
Lee is a 29-year old cat lover - going to sleep with the two cats he adopted was the most valuable moment in his life. Attempting to leave Hong Kong, he took the initiative to take a photo with his mother. Before going on board, he took out the photo, thinking about his mother who was always proud of his helpfulness and filial piety. Tracing back to his mother’s birthdays on which he made cheesecake and sang a song, he hoped that his mother would know he loves Hong Kong, too.
郭子麟 18歲 (Kok, 18)
Apart from his family, Kwok, an HKU Engineering Student who loves drama, was also thinking about a girl whom he knew from the Drama Club. Perhaps she is, indeed, the main cast of his life.
Before leaving his homeland, he plucked up all his courage to confess to the girl, echoing to one of HKU students’ sayings - “striving all your effort and leaving no regrets (BJMF)”. Life is like a play. Contemplating on the rippling waters, was he wondering whether this his affection would simply be buried, like a pearl sinking into in the vast ocean?
鄭子豪 17歲 (Cheng, 17)
Bringing with him a fishing rod and bucket; claiming that he was going to fishing – it was the way Cheng waved goodbye to his family; it was the white lie Cheng told in order to leave without notice, protecting his family from worrying.
Before leaving, Cheng used his pocket money to purchase a phone for his mother as a birthday gift. The phone is still here while the receiver has been so distant away. Cheng loves Hong Kong no less than his family. He was willing to bear the burden and go away, taking all the fishing equipment and leaving overnight.
廖子文 17歲 (Liu, 17)
Liu will become 18 after less than one week. To celebrate his birthday, he used to dine outside with his family – such usual practice, however, became a memory. Nevertheless, he actually has already participated in the Rites of Passage Ceremony – because what he experienced was much more than any other others.
Liu is a tough guy, hiding most of the emotions.
When he was small, knowing his older brother being bullied, he would directly ride on a bicycle to drive away the bullies. Most probably, his insistence on justice was what drives him to embark on the journey of the Movement.
黃偉然 29歲 (Wong, 29)
“Forgive my selfishness. In face of the parting of life and death, millions of words inside my throat can only be expressed between written lines.” – this was what written by Wong, a 29-year old motor mechanic, who left in his room the letter written with wordings like “I’m so sorry”, “sorry, mom” and “forgive my selfishness”.
Even since being released from Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, Wong had been more distant to his friends and family. Rarely did he have dining with his family, but often did he lock himself inside the room. He even reduced contacts with two of his favourite cats. Probably, he was paving the way for the departure with his family who may be more accustomed to living a life without Wong.
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