Apple's OS Envy Dilemma ➹

I have a slightly different take on this, since one of the reasons I instantly took to iOS was that I was sure I would have the same experience regardless of carrier, and later I felt my choice further justified by the balkanization of Android, because homogeneity of user experience was a sort of grand equalizer.

The regulation game breaks all sorts of premises, and takes me back to the time when the US restricted all sorts of technology exports (remember all the faffing about with “strong” encryption being classified as munitions?).

I don’t much care about Apple’s regulatory woes in the EU (a few of them might deservedly backfire, which is kind of besides the point), but having extra OS pseudo-features arbitrarily withheld based on location goes both ways, especially if you think forward and consider what kind of AI functionality Apple may withhold from EU users due to fear of EU regulation.

So yes, envy can be a two-way street–just not necessarily regarding the specific bits the article covers…