A few days ago, the European Union officially ordered Apple to end the geoblocking of all its services. What are the implications of this request? When will the brand of bitten apples have to end this practice? We will explain everything to you.
According to experts, the EU initiative through the European Commission was inevitable. On November 13, Brussels asked Apple to end its geoblocking practices, mainly on the App Store, but also on Apple Arcade, Apple Music, the iTunes Store, Apple Books and Apple Podcasts. An approach aimed at promoting and creating a fairer and more transparent digital market on the European continent.
What is geoblocking?
Specifically, geoblocking consists of restricting, restricting, or modifying services and content offered to users based on their geographic location. In case iPhone and the App Store, the unique application store of the Cupertino company, it follows, even as we write these lines, that a French user does not necessarily have access to the same applications as a Spanish user. Brussels is logically very focused on Europe as a whole and even believes that such a distinction on a continental scale is not legal.
In a European Commission press release published on 12 November, Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the digital age, explains very clearly:
”We are intensifying the fight against geo-blocking. No business, large or small, should unfairly discriminate against customers based on their nationality, place of residence or place of establishment. Preventing geo-blocking helps consumers access the goods and services of their choice across Europe and strengthens the functioning and integrity of our single market.”
Three restrictions in the sights of the authorities
Contacted in Brussels, the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC) explains that it has identified three problems in all services offered by Apple: systematic blocking ”multimedia services interface” depending on the European country, the inability for users to use payment methods ”who are not from the country where their Apple account was registered”as well as the impossibility of downloading applications offered in another country, even if the user temporarily resides there.
Absolutely uncompromising on the subject of ”discrimination against consumers on the basis of their nationality or place of residence which is contrary to Union law and therefore unacceptable’The European Commission and its government partners have given one month from 13 November Apple formulate a set of commitments. The ball is now in Apple’s court. Continuation.
Resources: European Commission, By numbers, Frandroid