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Expedia adds to Google's EU antitrust woes, decision expected after Easter
Google's position as the dominant search engine doesn't come without a price. Smaller search sites have already tapped on the EU Commission's door to register their complaints about how they are ranked, and Microsoft has also let its feelings on the matter be known. Now, we can add the Redmond spin-off, Expedia, to that list of sore losers disgruntled firms. The travel search site claims it has specific details outlining how the search giant has violated European anti-competitive laws. A Google spokesperson issued a statement saying "We haven't seen the complaint yet, but we've been working to explain how our business works, cooperating with the European Commission since this investigation began." The EU Competition Commissioner says a decision will be made after Easter, at which point Mountain View will either be charged, or the investigation will be dropped. If only that were the end of its EU troubles.
Orange says it'll bring LTE to all of its EU markets by 2015
Orange made a bold pledge to the future of Europe's "digital economy" yesterday, promising to bring 4G / LTE networks to all EU markets by the year 2015, and reaffirming its commitment to Africa and the Middle East. The France-based carrier outlined its plan during an event in Brussels, where CEO Stéphane Richard and European Commission digital chief Neelie Kroes met to discuss the Commission's "Digital Agenda for Europe." Orange laid out ten commitments in total, including a promise to make FTTH available for 15 million households and 80 percent of all businesses in France by the year 2020. It also vowed to bring 3 million NFC-enabled handsets to the EU this year, and 10 million by the year 2013. Perhaps most salient to Kroes' agenda was Orange's promise to offer customers a privacy "dashboard" by the year 2015, allowing them to more directly control their personal data. In Africa and the Middle East, meanwhile, the company is looking to roll out its 3G network by the year 2015, in the hopes of providing 80 percent of the population with mobile services. For more promises and optimism, check out the full PR after the break.
Microsoft joins Apple in FRAND patent fight with Motorola Mobility
Legal battles can sometimes make strange bedfellows. Microsoft announced today that they've filed an antitrust suit against Motorola Mobility in the European Union charging that the company (which is being purchased by Google) is abusing the standard-essential patents that it owns. Apple also filed a complaint a few days ago on the same topic -- that Motorola Mobility is attempting to illegally block sales of others company's products by leveraging patents that should be offered with Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Descriminatory (FRAND) licensing. Standard-essential patents are patents held by companies like Motorola Mobility that become part of industry standards like Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n, for example) and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC standard. Since they're part of industry standards, companies are obligated to use the patented intellectual property in creating their products. If the patent owner attempts to coerce companies to either stop using technology that is part of a standard or to pay exorbitant licensing fees, lawsuits like those filed by Apple and Microsoft are the result. Dave Heiner, vice-president and deputy general counsel for Microsoft's Corporate Standards and Antitrust Group, was quoted as saying that "Motorola has broken its promise. Motorola is on a path to use standard essential patents to kill video on the Web, and Google as its new owner doesn't seem to be willing to change course." Florian Mueller, patent expert at FOSS Patents, believes that Microsoft joining Apple with a lawsuit against Motorola Mobility will improve the odds that the European Commission will investigate Motorola's alleged abuses of FRAND patents in Europe.
Microsoft files EU antitrust complaint against Motorola Mobility, claims unfair licensing practices
Early last week, the European Commission gave Google its blessing regarding the purchase of Motorola Mobility. But the honeymoon has been anything but relaxing for the search giant and its latest power-play acquisition, after Apple filed an antitrust complaint, claiming a breach of the company's FRAND obligations. Now Microsoft is waiving the antitrust flag as well, claiming that the company is reportedly abusing its standard-essential patents, impeding fair access to patents that are fundamental to regular device function -- this time dealing with video streaming and wireless connectivity. Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Dave Heiner has posted an appeal to the company's TechNet blog, outlining the issue and explaining that "Motorola is attempting to block sales of Windows PCs, our Xbox game console and other products," further claiming that "Motorola is on a path to use standard essential patents to kill video on the Web, and Google as its new owner doesn't seem to be willing to change course." The key issue at hand is patent pricing -- Microsoft claims that Motorola is demanding an impossibly high royalty of $22.50 for a $1,000 laptop, and that only covers fees for H.264 licensing. It's no secret that Motorola's patent portfolio was a key component of Google's acquisition, and so far it doesn't appear that the company is making any suggestion that Motorola ease up on licensing fees. As always, we'll be keeping an eye on the process, but hit up the source link below for the full scoop from MS.
Apple asks EU regulators to step in on Motorola patent dispute
Apple already asked the European Telecommunications Standards Institute for more transparency on FRAND licensing, and now it's seeking a full-blown intervention. Motorola Mobility claims it received a letter on Friday from the European Commission advising there has been a complaint against it from Apple. The letter also stated that Cupertino wants the Commission to enforce the firm's standards-essential patents that breach agreed FRAND commitments. This latest development comes just one day after a German court awarded Apple an injunction against Motorola's implementation of slide-to-unlock on smartphones, as well as an ongoing saga of similar disputes with the firm. It's also just days after the European Commission approved Google's acquisition of the handset maker, based on beliefs that it "does not itself raise competition issues."
European Parliament approves January 2013 deadline for 4G spectrum free up
Back in November, the European Commission, European Parliament and its member states agreed on plans to repurpose their 800MHz frequency bands for 4G mobile networks. Today, that decision has been officially approved. The Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) has been set up to coordinate the use of this spectrum for fourth-generation services across the continent. Currently, 800MHz is used for analog television, but the new ruling gives member nations until the 1st of January 2013 to switch over to digital and authorize the band for its new role. Those nations dragging their heels can obtain an exemption, but mobile operators will be eager to see the spectrum freed up before then if possible. Swedish politician Gunnar Hökmark, who pushed for the legislation, hopes that it could lead to the EU having the fastest mobile broadband worldwide. Just don't tell AT&T.
Google gets European Commission approval for its purchase of Motorola Mobility
Google is one step closer to making it through the gauntlet of regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility, as it now has the thumbs-up from the European Commission, according to Reuters. Commissioner Joaquin Almunia stated that the transaction was approved because it "does not itself raise competition issues." That's not to say the EU won't be watching Mountain View like a hawk to ensure it doesn't go overboard on patent disputes, however, as each legal matter will be reviewed separately for compliance with antitrust laws. And while this is an incredibly important step for Google, the software giant's not through with the regulatory process -- it still needs to be signed off by the US Justice Department (expected later this week), as well as governing bodies in China, Israel and Taiwan.
European Commission unveils new online privacy rules, aims to protect consumer data
As SOPA's aftershocks continue to ripple across the US, a slightly different brand of techno-political drama is unfolding over in Europe, where the European Commission today announced a new set of online privacy regulations. The new legislation, unveiled this morning, was crafted with the intent of giving consumers more control over their online data, and places more pressure upon private companies to protect user information. According to Reuters, offending firms could be fined at rates of up to two percent of their yearly turnover. The laws, designed to overhaul the 1995 Data Protection Directive, will also make it easier for users to access their data, giving them the power to demand that their personal information be deleted, as long as there are no "legitimate reasons" for a company to store it. Companies, meanwhile, will be required to inform authorities of a data breach as soon as possible, "if feasible, within 24 hours." Though the rules have raised some concerns among web companies, EC privacy commissioner Viviane Reding wasted no time in heralding them as the foundation of a safer and more prosperous digital environment. "The protection of personal data is a fundamental right for all Europeans, but citizens do not always feel in full control of their personal data," Reding explained. "A strong, clear and uniform legal framework at EU level will help to unleash the potential of the digital single market and foster economic growth, innovation and job creation." If approved by the European Parliament and all EU member states, the laws would probably go into effect toward the end of 2013.
E-book publishers are now being investigated in the US, not just Europe
Just two days after the European Commission announced that it was investigating Apple and major international publishers for possible e-book price fixing, the US Justice Department has made it clear that it's also launching a probe into the possibility of "anticompetitive practices involving e-book sales." Although Justice Department officials didn't name which companies they're looking into, it's very likely that they're focusing on the same agreements between publishers and the major e-book platform owners -- either Apple or Amazon or both.
Daily Update for December 6, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Apple and major publishers investigated for e-book price fixing in Europe
The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into some of the world's largest publishers following a series of unannounced inspections back in March. Hachette Libre, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and the German owner of Macmillan are all suspected of "anti-competitive practices" in the way they've sold e-books in Europe, "possibly with the help of Apple." Read on for the full press release.
EU antitrust body to investigate Samsung's use of patents against Apple
Apple has been waging a legal battle with Samsung over the look and feel of its Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets. In response, Samsung filed a series of its own patent infringement lawsuits against Apple that involve 3G technology. These countersuits may have landed Samsung in hot water with the European Union as some of these patents may be subject to FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) licensing terms. FRAND extends to patents that cover industry standards like 3G technology. Any company that's involved in the development of a standard must license patents essential to the technology at a reasonable rate and with reasonable terms and conditions. These patents are not supposed to be used as weapons in a legal battle. The European Commission has opened a preliminary investigation and is examining whether Samsung's lawsuits against Apple have abused FRAND standards. This investigation was first mentioned publicly in a recent court filing by Apple in California and later confirmed by Samsung in a statement released to Computerworld. Samsung has at all times remained committed to fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing terms for our wireless standards-related patents. We have received a request for information from the Commission and are cooperating fully. Note that this is a preliminary investigation and the European Commission has not yet determined whether to conduct a full investigation. The European Commission will now gather information from all parties involved and will determine whether there's enough evidence for a full investigation. If the EC continues, Samsung could be forced to withdraw its lawsuits against Apple. It could also face a possible fine.
EU wants member countries to free up spectrum for 4G rollout, eyes 2013 deadline
This one's been in the works for a little while now, but the EU has just taken another step toward making 4G coverage a continental reality. Last week, the European Commission, European Parliament and member states of the European Council reached what they're calling an "informal compromise" on a new radio spectrum policy. Under the proposed agreement, member countries would have to free up (read: "auction off") their 800MHz frequency bands for broadband service by January 1, 2013, as part of Parliament's plan to accelerate broadband rollout by using spectrum once devoted to analog TV frequencies. The idea is to allocate 1200MHz to mobile traffic sometime after the year 2013, but before the end of 2015. Government authorities would retain the right to allocate their country's radio frequencies as they see fit, though distribution across ISPs and users falls under the EU's aegis -- which is where the proposed Radio Spectrum Policy Programme comes in. A draft of the deal has already received approval, though a final version must still be ratified by the European Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee on November 10th, before making its way to Parliament for a full vote.
EU to launch first two Galileo satellites today, as sat-nav system lurches forward
The EU's Galileo satellite navigation system has been beset by delays and budget overruns in recent months, but its future is looking slightly brighter, now that its first two satellites are primed for launch. The European Space Agency is expected to send the satellites into space today, as part of a long-term project that will cost an estimated €7 billion (around $9.6 billion). Slated to take off from Kourou, French Guiana, the pair of satellites will ride on the back of a Russian rocket to an altitude of nearly 15,000 miles, where they'll test system functions both in space and on Earth. If all goes according to plan, they'll also become Galileo's first operational satellites, paving the way, officials hope, for many more to follow. In fact, the European Commission is looking to complete the 30-satellite constellation by the year 2019, with two scheduled to launch during every quarter, beginning in 2012. The idea, of course, is to offer Europeans an alternative to US-operated GPS, with a free consumer service scheduled to launch in 2014, followed by a more precise, paid service in 2020. Nevertheless, budgetary concerns loom large over the project, which, according to the EC, has already racked up a development and deployment bill of over €5 billion ($6.8 billion), since 2003. The commission will present a finalized proposal to EU member governments by the end of the year, in the hopes of obtaining that extra €7 billion, though it may face more acute criticism, considering today's dour economic climate. It remains unlikely, however, that Galileo will be totally shut down, as the EU says it could bring in an extra €90 billion over the next 20 years.
Will new iPhone designs include Europe's common charger?
Way back in 2009, the European Commission reached a voluntary agreement with 10 mobile phone manufacturers to adopt a standard Micro-USB charge and sync interface. Apple, with its proprietary Dock connector design, was one of the parties that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stating that they'd comply. Could the new iPhone(s) expected next week finally move to the standard connector? There are some compelling arguments why Apple won't and will stick with the 30-pin dock connector design for the foreseeable future. On one hand, this isn't legislation, so Apple is under no obligation to comply with the new standard. On the other hand, the company did sign the MoU, and to keep in the good graces of the EU at a time when Apple is locked in a number of patent-infringement battles, the company should follow through. The overwhelming reason that Apple is likely to stick with the dock connector is the huge number of accessories both from Apple and other manufacturers that use that connector. The dock connector is used not only on the iPhone, but also on the iPod touch, iPod Classic, iPod nano, and iPad. If the Dock connector was to be eliminated from the iPhone, accessory manufacturers would need to totally redesign most of the docks and cables that have been produced for the iPhone, and Apple would also need to change the connector port on the other devices. The wording of the MoU is clear: the European Commission requires manufacturers to have a cable assembly that "terminates in a Micro-B plug" (outlined in red in the photo above). But that still doesn't keep Apple from holding onto the dock connector. There's also a section in the agreement which states that "In case a mobile phone does not have this connector (Micro-USB) integrated into the device, an Adaptor may be available to ensure compatibility. An 'Adaptor' is defined as a device with a Micro-USB receptacle/plug connecting to a specific non Micro-USB connector." My take on this is that Apple will most likely ship new European iPhones with a USB Standard-A cable that ends in a Micro-B plug, along with a Micro-B to Dock connector adapter. This means that Apple complies with the word of the agreement and also keeps backward compatibility with the thousands of dock connector accessories. For the EU, it's a win as there is one standard charger design for all phones made by the ten signatories. For Apple, it's also a win since the company only needs to design an adaptor to go from the Micro-B end of the charging cable to the dock connector. And for the accessory manufacturers, it's time to breathe a big sigh of relief, knowing that every product they've made over the past few years will still work properly.
European Commission regains sanity, cancels €22 million SYMBEOSE project
Last November, to the surprise and dismay of many, the European Commission decided it needed to stimulate some homegrown innovation in the mobile space and pulled together €22 million in a public/private investment designed to help Symbian get ahead. It was intended to turn Nokia's former lover into the Embedded Operating System for Europe (hence the name SYMBEOSE), but alas the breakup between Symbian and the Finnish mobile maker was too much to overcome. The EC has decided, quite rightly, that there's no sense in continuing its symbtopia project, and now a member of Neelie Kroes' team has confirmed the entire venture has been cancelled. European taxpayers (two of whom you see on the right) will also be glad to know that no money has exchanged hands, so the bullet has been well and truly dodged. Guess that's why they're looking so happy. [Thanks, Danijel] Update: Nokia has confirmed the foregoing in a statement, which you can find after the break.
iPhone location data to be closely regulated in Europe
The fuss over the storage of location data by iOS has crossed international waters. The EU data protection advisory panel, a watchdog group that advises the European Commission, has said that location data is personal data. This ruling may lead to further restrictions limiting how this data may be used by Apple, advertisers and third-party applications. The panel further recommended that companies need to get permission from smartphone owners before collecting location data and should be clear about how this data is being used. The group also suggests location services should be switched off by default. These proposals may become the early framework for a new law regulating location data in the EU. Eventually, these and other similar proposals could be included in Europe's broader revised Data Protection Directive later this year.
Prague to host world's most powerful laser
To us, Prague will always be the Eastern European capital of roast duck, potato dumplings and tasty, cheap pilsner. But come 2015, the former Soviet Bloc city will also become home to the world's most powerful laser, as part of the European Union's Extreme Light Infrastructure project. According to plans released by the European Commission, the laser will produce peak power in the exawatt range (equivalent to one trillion megawatts). So, for a very small fraction of a second, the beam will generate one million times more power than the entire U.S. electric grid. Believe it or not, that's plenty of time to conduct experiments that could reveal new cancer treatments and ways to deal with nuclear waste. Breakthroughs in either category would be incredible for the €700 million (about $1 billion) project, which also includes future plans to build two similar lasers, and a third that's twice as powerful the Prague installation -- roughly the same current draw as an HTC Thunderbolt. [Image courtesy of Instructables]
European Commission mandates LTE and WiMAX on 900Mhz and 1800MHz bands for 2012
Color us tickled, but the European Commission has revised its technical rules for the use of 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrums, compelling member states to make room for LTE and WiMAX service by December 31, 2011. As a goal, the EU hopes to provide broadband to all rural Europeans by 2013, and foresees 4G signal on the long-range 900MHz spectrum as the solution. The Commission also released guidelines to ensure UMTS, LTE and WiMAX will co-exist on the 1800MHz spectrum -- a decision that lays the groundwork for global LTE roaming. Now, how about some mandates on those outrageous international roaming charges? Check out the details in the press release after the break. [Image courtesy of Flickr]
EU investigation to take a closer look at net neutrality
The EU has commissioned an investigation into how European ISPs handle traffic and manage their networks, in a move that could lead to new legislation on net neutrality. The investigation, to be conducted by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), will cover both mobile and fixed Internet providers, with particularly close attention paid to any barriers consumers may face when changing operators. BEREC will also consult with consumers and corporations to determine whether or not ISPs are being completely transparent about their traffic management practices, or advertised connection speeds. In a speech delivered yesterday, Neelie Kroes, the European Commission's Vice President for the Digital Agenda, admitted that some ISPs need to restrict some bandwidth-heavy services in order to protect their networks, but promised to publicly name and take action against any operators found to be stifling competition or consumer choice: "Mark my words: if measures to enhance competition are not enough to bring Internet providers to offer real consumer choice, I am ready to prohibit the blocking of lawful services or applications. It's not OK for Skype and other such services to be throttled. That is anti-competitive. It's not OK to rip off consumers on connection speeds." It's unlikely, however, that the EU will implement legislation as pointed as the net neutrality rules the FCC unveiled in the US, nor as expansive as the law that Chile introduced last summer. In a report issued yesterday, the EU affirmed that "operators should be allowed to determine their own business models and commercial arrangements" -- words that no doubt delighted many in Europe's ISP community. The results of BEREC's investigation are due to be published by the end of the year.