Recently I saw an article saying, Japanese law forced Apple to open up browser restrictions on iOS.
But this got me thinking, why couldn’t Apple just tell them to fuck off by saying that iOS is meant to be that way cause we are the ones who designed it and the ones who own it. And if you want a change, go make your own products.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate big-tech controlling peoples lives, but aren’t these kind of laws; telling a maker to make the product in a specific way, eliminating creative freedom?
Why wouldn’t they just call the bluff? Japan needs US tech more, than the other way around.
Because on multiple levels it is cheaper to comply than losing the cash from Japanese customers.
Firstly there is the hard cash that customers won’t be able to spend on the company’s product. That’s a big red flag for any current and future investors who want every last drop squeezed into their dividends. Getting less because of costs related to compliance is just regular business in the end. Getting nothing out of spite? No, sir!
Also, trust is a resource as well: Who in their right mind would buy another product from a company that might turn off their products again in the future? This circles back to the previous argument: Less sales, less dividends, unhappy shareholders.
…is that actually true, though? US tech is more software than hardware.