Notices by Oliver Reichenstein (reichenstein@mastodon.social), page 2

Yesterday we saw the first wave of tech journalists, VCs and bloggers without any legal expertise but a very strong bias that likely haven't read the paper but believe that they "get it".

They now meet a second group of legally trained minds that took the time to read the document:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24109033/doj-apple-antitrust-lawsuit-legal-expert-praise

Note: Most devs will be careful to not bite the hand that feeds them.

I'm about half way in and I see nothing of the supposed lack of understanding that gives tech and Apple pundit's reason for the middle school party of snippy "they don't get it!" quips. If anything deserves snark it's the self-incriminating quotes of the Apple executives. In fact... I thought that, being on the developer's side, we probably know enough about all the unnecessary restrictions that Apple imposes on devs under the guise of "security"… But I didn't know half of it. I am learning.

Comparing the DOJ suit to the kneejerk reactions of my Apple friends (close to 100% iPhone and Macs in my social circle) the tech community and Apple pundids, I realized that it's not them that don't understand, it's us. The cognitive dissonance of blaming the DOJ's lack of tech (or Apple) savviness for what Apple's executives stated black on white is nuts. Two things can be true at the same time: (1) Apple makes great products and (2) they use their position of power to control their market.

Reading through this document I remembered how I felt when my sister moved to an Android phone and how every time she sends me a photo, I think: "Yeah, that crappy Samsung phone there..." She then moved to WhatsApp, which also comes with Zuckerberg chains and bad status vibes. I remember that one reason why I move from the Sony headphones to the overpriced AiPods Max because Sony's headphones always had trouble connecting, needed an app and downloads and I always blamed Sony fo that.

Apple is really good at connecting hardware and software, at building an eco system. They make superior devices and operating systems. They're expensive, but worth it. As a consumer, I am sold. Our house is all Macs, iPhones, TV, HomePod, iPod, iPad, AppleMusic, Pay, CarPlay, Watch. I bought iPods Max 2 weeks ago and love them. Yesterday, we just got a new iPhone 15. We spend 10,000s on  goods. Our company makes  apps and builds them 100% on  products. I always saw that as a choice. But...

@nileane Americans usually look at EU laws from their by-the-letter, precedence based common law, not expecting the in-spirit approach of non-Anglo-Saxon legal systems. Even Apple's response was typically American—trying to find sophist gaps in the wording, complying in a "clever" way ("Look, I do just what you said! Happy now?"). While I don't expect American tech bloggers to understand European law or how they pedal populist anti EU propaganda, I expected more from Apple's lawyers.

@nileane As far as the beloved "but the market decided that Apple is right and the law shouldn't interfere with the market..." The market is not a legal system. It favors a lot of stupid, destructive and self destructive products, tactics, and, unregulated, favors those who gathered most power. Again, this is a somewhat un-American interpretation of the law. "Get off my property!" Americans are more likely to accept that ownership allows you to create your own laws on your territory.