Posts Tagged: Europe
Epic Games confirms Fortnite is coming back to iOS in Europe this year
Following Apple's announcement of enabling third-party app stores for iOS users in the European Union, Epic Games confirms that it'll be bringing Fortnite back to the iPhone and iPad in Europe later this year — by way of a new Epic mobile games store. This will mark the title's official return to Apple's platform since it was yanked back in August 2020, after Epic offered discounts to payments made directly to its own store, instead of Apple's App Store and Google Play which would take a 30-percent cut. iOS users have had to rely on Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now to play Fortnite, but this will soon be a thing of the past for those based in Europe.
Fortnite's grand return to iOS in Europe is all thanks to the EU's new Digital Markets Act, which goes into effect March 7. This allows developers to take payments and distribute apps from outside of the App Store, pending Apple's new "Notarization" approval process to spot harmful apps. Apple is also introducing a new fee structure that claims to cost less, if not the same, for most developers who publish to European markets.
Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) January 25, 2024
Even though the upcoming changes will allow Epic Games to make money off iOS users once again (at least in Europe), founder and CEO Tim Sweeney called out Cupertino for the "new Junk Fees on downloads and new Apple taxes on payments they don't process." The exec later spotted more "hot garbage" in the details, particularly the terms related to requesting an entitlement from Apple. "Under what possible theory of antitrust regulation is it acceptable for a monopoly to decide what companies are allowed to compete with it, and on what terms they can compete? Apple makes a mockery of free market competition," Sweeney said in a post on X. The infuriated tone here comes as no surprise, especially after the US Supreme Court rejected Epic's appeal that Apple violated federal antitrust laws earlier this month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/epic-games-confirms-fortnite-is-coming-back-to-ios-in-europe-this-year-040818909.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Pre-orders for the OnePlus Buds Pro 2R are live in Europe with €129 early-bird pricing
The launch of its first foldable might have been delayed but OnePlus has just announced that its new Buds Pro 2R earbuds have gone on sale in Europe and the UK offering many of the same features as the Buds Pro 2 but at the more affordable price of £149. If you pre-order the Buds […]
Come comment on this article: Pre-orders for the OnePlus Buds Pro 2R are live in Europe with €129 early-bird pricing
Facebook and Instagram may offer paid, ad-free plans in Europe to sate EU privacy concerns
Meta may add a paid subscription option to Instagram and Facebook in Europe, according toThe New York Times. The ad-free tier is meant to address European Union (EU) regulations that have diminished some of Meta’s most lucrative data-collection methods. The company said in April that advertising in the EU made up 10 percent of the company’s total revenue.
The move would be the first time Meta has deviated from its standard model of a single free platform supported by advertising (and associated data collection). The NYT says the company would continue offering free ad-supported versions of Facebook and Instagram in the EU. It’s unknown exactly when the company would launch the ad-free tiers or how much they would cost.
Company “insiders” cited by the NYT believe offering a paid ad-free variant could help “alleviate some European regulators’ concerns,” even if few people use it. The optional tier “could serve Meta’s interests in the region,” they added.
An ad-free option for European users would mark one of the most significant splits between consumer tech in the EU and the US. Meta and other social platforms have been forced to adapt as the GDPR and other regulations take hold. The EU fined Meta €1.2 billion in May for moving EU citizen’s data to US-based servers. In addition, the company was fined €265 million in 2022 for failing to prevent millions of Facebook users’ mobile numbers (and other data) from being scraped and posted online.
“This shows that tech companies are complying with the E.U.’s digital regulations, suggesting that they remain beholden to governments and not the other way around,” Columbia University law professor Anu Bradford told The New York Times.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-and-instagram-may-offer-paid-ad-free-plans-in-europe-to-sate-eu-privacy-concerns-190926273.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Samsung’s Self-Repair program for Galaxy phones and laptops is live in Europe
It’s been live in the US for some time now but Samsung’s Self-Repair program has finally been made available in Europe. Unlike the US, however, Samsung hasn’t partnered up with iFixit and is instead hosting the instructions and repair kits (from Rexio Care) on its own site. The news means that Galaxy owners will be […]
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Realme’s GT Neo 3 packs in a 120Hz display and insanely quick 150W UltraDart charging, coming to Europe soon
First teased during MWC 2022, Realme’s insanely fast 150W UltraDart charging has made its debut on the new GT Neo 3 that has been launched in China ahead of a global release in upcoming months. With its sporty racing stripes, the Dimensity 8100-powered GT Neo 3 is Realme’s latest affordable flagship, packing in a 120Hz […]
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The OnePlus 10 Pro popped up to space ahead of launching in Europe and North America on March 31st
First launched in China back on January 11th, the OnePlus 10 Pro is finally set to make its official debut in North America, European, and UK markets on March 31st. Before then, OnePlus sent its newest flagship 38,000 meters into the stratosphere to take some stunning photos of the horizon with its Hasselblad color-tuned camera. […]
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The Realme Pad is now on sale in Europe
We reviewed the Realme Pad a little while ago and found it to be a solid first step into the tablet segment for the Realme Brand. Powered by MediaTek’s Helio G80 Octa-core processor, the Realme Pad offers enough grunt for enjoyable gameplay and comes with a starting price of €239. Just 6.9mm thick and weighing […]
Come comment on this article: The Realme Pad is now on sale in Europe
iPhone 13 and Z Flip 3 keep Apple and Samsung sales strong in U.S. and Europe
The chip shortage continues to stifle smartphone sales growth, but Apple and Samsung manage to hold on in the U.S. and European markets.
Android | Digital Trends
Android Auto is expanding to more countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia
Just because we are living in a pandemic world doesn’t mean that driving safely isn’t a priority, after all, it’s illegal to drive while using a smartphone in most countries. This is where Android Auto comes in with its ability to allow users to navigate, make and receive calls, and control their audio entertainment via […]
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Vivo phones are coming to Europe
Vivo has expanded its reach and announced its entry into the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. The Chinese tech manufacturer has also presented its first European line-up at an online media briefing broadcast from Dusseldorf, Germany, rev…
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Spotify expands to Russia and 12 other countries in eastern Europe
Spotify is expanding to 13 additional markets. Starting today, music fans in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine can check out the platform….
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The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are now on sale in the UK and Europe
Just a week after the official announcement, the new OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro handsets are on sale in the UK and the rest of Europe. With prices starting from £599 and £799 respectively, the new OnePlus flagships bring new colors, features, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processors with them, as well as 5G […]
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Google searches are showing rival business directories in Europe
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A Galaxy Note is heading to Europe with an affordable price tag
The Galaxy Note is synonymous with “flagship” these days, but there’s a growing trend to release models with stripped down specs that offer the same general experience at a cheaper price (the Pixel 3a is a good example). Samsung is apparently close to launching a somewhat affordable Note model in Europe, which will provide the […]
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The OnePlus 7 is now on sale in the UK, Europe, and Asia
The OnePlus 7 Pro was the main focus of the launch event back on May 14th, with the presentation covering the more affordable OnePlus 7 in just a couple of minutes. The regular OnePlus 7 is the more direct successor to the 6T from last year, featuring updated cameras, storage, and processor. Unlike the OnePlus […]
Come comment on this article: The OnePlus 7 is now on sale in the UK, Europe, and Asia
Google begins showing more browsers and search engines to Android users in Europe
After some legal back-and-forth with the EU, Google got hit with a pretty hefty fine over anticompetitive behavior focused on forcing Google Search and Chrome as the default search engine/browser combo on Android devices. The European Commission didn’t like Google heavy handing their own products into Android devices like that, so Google has had to […]
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DJI updates geofencing system in Europe after Gatwick airport scare
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Tesla’s Supercharger network will cover all of Europe in 2019
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Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T goes on sale in the US and Europe from Nov. 15
The OnePlus 6T was announced on October 29th in Midnight Black or Mirror Black options, with fans wondering when a more exciting color, or at least one that wasn’t black, would be announced. It turns out that we didn’t have long to wait because OnePlus has just announced that the OnePlus 6T will be available […]
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Mate 20 Pro beats Huawei’s pre-order sales record in Western Europe by 40%
Huawei launched its new flagship, the Mate 20 Pro, at an event in London on October 16th, and it seems that the Mate 10 Pro’s successor is breaking pre-order records in Western Europe. Huawei’s Consumer Business Group (CBG) has announced that the Mate 20 Pro, with its trio of rear cameras, OLED display, and Kirin […]
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Oculus Go comes to Europe and Canada
Customers in the US and Europe have been able to place Oculus Go reservations for a while now, but European VR enthusiasts still haven't received their headsets. That changes today as Oculus has officially opened online purchases and brought its devi…
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Huawei’s P20 Pro has become its bestselling flagship device in Western Europe
It’s exactly a month since Huawei launched its new P20 series of smartphones that consists of the P20 Lite, P20, and the impressive P20 Pro with its trio of rear cameras and a superb finish. Huawei may be experiencing all sorts of strife with its now-canceled plans to expand into the US, but across the pond, […]
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Huawei is bringing its Video Service and AppStore to Europe in Q1 2018
When it comes to app stores, most Android users are naturally familiar with the Google Play Store, and to a lesser extent, the newly overhauled Amazon Appstore. If you’ve wanted a bigger choice, there will be a new player on the block in Europe in the form of Chinese electronics giant Huawei, whose AppStore and […]
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Some Pokémon Go events in Europe postponed after Chicago debacle
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Nintendo’s NES Classic has been discontinued in Europe too
When Nintendo pulled the NES Classic from its website and retailers in the US, we knew it was only a matter of time before the same happened on the other side of the Atlantic. It took four days, but the company today confirmed to Eurogamer that the t…
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Deezer’s family streaming plan is now available across Europe
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Samsung’s electronics sales decline in China and Europe for third consecutive year
For the third straight year, Samsung’s revenues from phone sales in China decreased. Because of the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi now controlling the Chinese market, Samsung might have to rethink its strategy in the country.
The post Samsung's electronics sales decline in China and Europe for third consecutive year appeared first on Digital Trends.
Motorola pushes out Marshmallow for the Moto G (2015) in Europe
Motorola has started rolling out the much-anticipated Marshmallow update to all unlocked variants of the Moto G (2015) located in Europe. Strangely, the upgrade carries a slightly different version number to the firmware that was released for the handset in India and North America, but it appears to bundle the same functionality, as well as a handful of regional bug fixes and stability improvements.
As previously mentioned, this update transports the latest build of Marshmallow to the handset, and for those unaware of the differences between Android 5.0 and Android 6.0, the newest edition brings greater control over application permissions, an enhanced battery-life through Doze, a redesigned application drawer, and last but not least Fingerprint-authentication for payments.
To see if the upgrade is ready for your device, open up the Settings application, scroll right down to the bottom and tap on About Device, select the System Updates subheading, then tap Check for Updates. Alternatively, you can wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to download and install it.
Via: TechValue
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Disconnect.Me dispute with Google over Play Store leads to antitrust complaint in Europe
As Google continues to deal with the European Commission over a variety of claims that the company has become too large and is creating an anticompetitive environment, a new complaint has been lodged by Disconnect Inc., developers of an ad-blocking and privacy app. The crux of the complaint is Google’s decision to ban the Disconnect Mobile app from the Google Play Store. Disconnect is demanding their app be included in the Play Store along with unspecified damages.
Disconnect provides a service to protect “users from invisible tracking and malvertising, malware served through advertisements” according to a statement issued by the company. Disconnect makes their service available through apps for both Android and iOS systems as well as extensions that can be deployed on desktop computers. Disconnect has tried twice in the past year to get the Android version of the app listed in Google Play, only to see Google ban the app. The second time it happened, Google threatened to remove the company’s developer account, which would have impacted other apps produced by the company.
Google has responded to the complaint stating it is baseless. According to their statement,
“Our Google Play policies (specifically clause 4.4) have long prohibited apps that interfere with other apps (such as by altering their functionality, or removing their way of making money). We apply this policy uniformly – and Android developers strongly support it. All apps must comply with these policies and there’s over 200 privacy apps available in Google Play that do.”
Disconnect, founded by former Google execs, currently offers the app through their own site so users can sideload the app. They have also worked on deals to get the app pre-installed on devices, like the Blackphone provided through Deutsche Telekom. However, the company clearly believes they are losing out on potential revenue due to the lack of exposure from not being listed in the Google Play Store. In a statement, CEO Casey Oppenheim says,
“We want what the lawyers call ‘equal treatment.’ We want Android users to be able to get our products quickly and easily through the Play Store and we want to be fully supported by Google, just like other apps in the Store.”
Disconnect has not yet released the actual complaint with all of the details regarding the claimed impact from not being listed in the Play Store. They have also not launched any complaints outside of the European Union.
source: TechCrunch
Come comment on this article: Disconnect.Me dispute with Google over Play Store leads to antitrust complaint in Europe
Xiaomi launches online store on June 1 in the U.S. and later in Europe, but it’s sparsely stocked
Xiaomi is taking a tentative step into the U.S. market with the launch Monday of an online store. Shoppers can choose from a small selection of tech accessories but won’t yet be able to pick up any of the smartphones.
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