Apple Rivals Unite to Promote Open Ecosystems Using EU Law

Google, Meta, Qualcomm, Nothing, Lenovo, Opera and several other tech companies have announced a collaborative effort to push for "open digital ecosystems" in what appears to be a pointed move against Apple (via Reuters).

Google Logo Feature Slack
The group, calling itself the Coalition for Open Digital Ecosystems (CODE), seeks to encourage more open platforms and systems in Europe. Other members include Motorola, Chinese smartphone brand Honor, French augmented reality start-up Lynx, and German messaging service provider Wire. Apple is noticeably absent from the organization's members.

CODE's formation comes in response to new EU rules such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which designates major tech companies as "gatekeepers" and compels them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA is expected to force Apple to make significant changes to the way the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work in Europe. For example, Apple will next year be obliged to allow users to install third-party app stores and sideload apps, as well as give developers the ability to promote their offers outside the ‌‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌‌ and use third-party payment systems.

CODE plans to work with companies, legislators, and academics to promote digital openness and present pathways for this to be achieved in Europe using the DMA and future EU legislation. Members have discussed how digital ecosystems should work in Europe and what positively impacts competitiveness and openness. The organisation aims to open up major digital ecosystems using cross-industry collaboration to promote seamless connectivity and interoperability between systems.

While the likes of Google and Meta have been officially designated as gatekeepers by the EU just like Apple, rivals are increasingly attempting to use EU law to prompt major changes to Apple's ecosystem. For example, last month, Google and European telecom groups urged EU regulators to designate iMessage a "core" service that would force Apple to make the communications platform interoperable with competing chat services.

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Top Rated Comments

icanhazmac Avatar
18 months ago
If you can't beat 'em, regulate 'em!
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SpotOnT Avatar
18 months ago
Apple needs to form a coalition to push for increased user privacy. No way Google or Meta would be pushing for this if they couldn’t profit from harvesting personal information.
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0339327 Avatar
18 months ago
What is obvious here is that the top tech firms in the world are all US based. Yet, of course, they go to the Marxist EU to try and reign in Apple because the capitalist system that made them successful in the first place isn’t giving them the competitive advantage on a silver platter.

The customer should be the ultimate decider, not some overpaid government bureaucrat.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mikey44 Avatar
18 months ago
Yes, let’s wield government regulation to force companies to bend to our will, that’ll show those pesky innovators.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac Fly (film) Avatar
18 months ago
Yeah, Google and Meta, everyone's best "friends" lol

"This whole open thing has nothing to do with ads, we promise. Don't be Evil. Cambridge Analytica. Bla-bla-bla."

Apple should have made iMessage with built-in FaceTime feature and cross-platform payments a holistic Android app years ago. They would be the messaging and payments defacto platform outside of China right now, obliterating Square, PayPal, WhatsApp, Revolut and everyone in between, while having to lock nothing down at the same time.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ELman Avatar
18 months ago
Is it just me or does the EU have nothing better to do than go after American companies for money and regulation? Maybe it’s time to leave the EU.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)