In a sharp escalation of its ongoing regulatory battles, Apple has accused the European Commission (EC) of employing “political delay tactics” to stall the implementation of new app policies, allegedly as a means to launch investigations and impose fines on the tech giant, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman. The accusation comes in response to emerging reports that the EC is poised to blame Apple for the impending closure of Setapp, a popular third-party app marketplace. Setapp, developed by MacPaw, is set to shut down next month. MacPaw attributed the decision to “still-evolving and complex business terms that don’t fit Setapp’s current business model.” Apple’s preemptive statement highlights growing tensions between the iPhone maker and European regulators, who have been pushing for greater openness in the App Store ecosystem under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The company argues that the EC’s delays are not genuine efforts to refine policies but rather strategic maneuvers to build cases for enforcement actions. This development underscores the broader conflict over app distribution and sideloading in the EU, where Apple has faced scrutiny for its control over iOS apps. While Apple has introduced some changes to comply with DMA requirements, critics — including developers like MacPaw — contend that the terms remain overly restrictive and burdensome. As of now, neither the European Commission nor MacPaw has issued further comments on Apple’s allegations. The situation could lead to additional fines for Apple, which has already been hit with penalties in related antitrust matters. Industry watchers will be monitoring how this unfolds, potentially affecting app developers and consumers across the region. The European Union arose because the Europeans couldn’t compete on their own with the rest of the world, so they each lined up to surrender their national sovereignty, unique cultures, and dignity for an undemocratic, opaque, wasteful, bloated, bureaucratic quasi-governmental blob – and, even with the EU’s thumbs all over the scale, they still can’t compete. – MacDailyNews, March 4, 2024 Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon. The post Apple accuses EU Commission of ‘political delay tactics’ amid App Store policy disputes appeared first on MacDailyNews. You're currently a free subscriber to MacDailyNews. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
|
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Apple accuses EU Commission of ‘political delay tactics’ amid App Store policy disputes
U.S. economy powers ahead: Q3 GDP revised upward to strong 4.4% growth
The U.S. economy continues to showcase impressive resilience and momentum, as the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) confirmed on January 22, 2026, that real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at an annualized rate of 4.4% in the third quarter of 2025 (July–September). This marks a positive upward revision from the previous estimate of 4.3% and an acceleration from the 3.8% pace recorded in Q2 2025. The slight 0.1 percentage point upgrade primarily stemmed from stronger exports (revised higher to a robust 9.6% surge) and upward adjustments to business investment, which more than compensated for a modest downward tweak to consumer spending. Key highlights from the updated data include: • Consumer spending — the economy’s main engine — rose at a solid 3.5% pace, the fastest this year and up from 2.5% in the prior quarter, reflecting sustained household demand for goods and services. • Exports rebounded sharply, while imports declined (subtracting less from GDP and providing a net positive boost). • Increases in investment, exports, government outlays, and personal consumption all contributed positively to the headline figure. Strong U.S. economic growth continues without major inflationary flare-ups, as evidenced by resilient consumer activity and improving trade dynamics. The upward revision has further bolstered market confidence, contributing to recent stock gains and optimism about sustained American economic expansion. Early forecasts for Q4 2025 remain encouraging, pointing to continued vigor as the U.S. economy enters the new year on firm footing. Overall, the latest BEA data paints a picture of an economy firing on multiple cylinders — delivering healthy, broad-based growth that positions the United States as a standout performer globally. MacDailyNews Take: A strong U.S. economy coupled with vigorous consumer spending bodes very well for Apple. Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon. The post U.S. economy powers ahead: Q3 GDP revised upward to strong 4.4% growth appeared first on MacDailyNews. You're currently a free subscriber to MacDailyNews. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
|
Apple bets big that AI models will become commodities; may offer hot-swappable Siri
As Apple integrates more AI features across its ecosystem (like Apple Intelligence), the company appears to be positioning itself around the idea that foundational AI models will increasingly become commoditized — much like other tech components — shifting value toward integration, user experience, privacy, and on-device capabilities rather than owning the most advanced raw model. This piece explores Apple’s strategic wager in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Instead of obsessing over owning the absolute best raw model, which changes on the minute depending on the criteria being tested, Apple is betting on ecosystem control as the real differentiator — while keeping the backend interchangeable for cost, performance, or strategic reasons. Alistair Barr for Business Insider:
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon. [Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.] The post Apple bets big that AI models will become commodities; may offer hot-swappable Siri appeared first on MacDailyNews. Invite your friends and earn rewardsIf you enjoy MacDailyNews, share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe.
|
Apple accuses EU Commission of ‘political delay tactics’ amid App Store policy disputes
In a sharp escalation of its ongoing regulatory battles, Apple has accused the European Commission (EC) of employing “political delay tactic...
-
Apple, aiming push more urgently into the smart home market, is said to be nearing the launch of a new product category: a wall-mounted disp...
-
Substack is covering the cost of your first paid month of MacDailyNews by MacDailyNews. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ...
-
Thank you for reading MacDailyNews. As a token of our appreciation, we're offering you a limited-time offer of 20% off a paid subscript...
