Netherlands

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Netherlands:

Apple will make it easier for Dutch dating apps to use alternative payments

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App Store
Will it be enough for the ACM?
Photo: James Yarema/Unsplash

Apple this week revealed slightly more relaxed rules for Dutch dating apps that will make it easier for them to offer third-party payment options. It comes after months of fighting with Dutch regulators over new app laws.

One thing Cupertino won’t give up, however, is its 27% commission.

$5.5 billion lawsuit accuses Apple of overcharging App Store users

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2021 App Store Awards
Apple just cannot avoid new App Store complaints.
Image: Apple

Apple faces an incredibly pricey lawsuit in the Netherlands, where the company is accused of “market dominance,” “anti-competitive practices,” and overcharging App Store users for apps and in-app subscriptions.

The Consumer Competition Claims Foundation believes Apple has been able to charge “excessively high prices” by excluding all competition and then abusing its “monopoly position.” It says damages could total $5.5 billion.

Apple will take a 27% cut of third-party app payments in the Netherlands

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2021 App Store Awards
Apple certainly isn't making it easy.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Thursday published new details on how it plans to handle third-party payments for dating apps in the Netherlands. The document confirms that Apple will continue to take a cut of all net revenues at a “reduced” rate of 27%.

It also states that developers must provide Cupertino with a report of all transactions each month so that they can be invoiced for the commission. Apple says it has the right to carry out audits to ensure accurate reporting.

Netherlands could be first country to rule on App Store antitrust accusations

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TikTok continues to dominate the App Store in 2020.
Does Apple have too much control over the App Store?
Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC

Antitrust investigators in the Netherlands are reportedly coming to the end of a “years-long” investigation into Apple and its control of the App Store.

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has been investigating this matter since 2019. It focuses on Apple’s “payments system” in the App Store, which charges developers 15% to 30% in commission. With its impending decision, it could become the first antitrust authority to rule on this contentious issue.

Apple Pay is closer than ever to launching in the Netherlands

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iphone
Apple Pay looks set to launch any time now.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay looks closer than ever to going to live in the Netherlands, with the service now promoted to “beta” status within Apple.

The news comes one day after a mobile banking service seemingly confirmed that Apple Pay is on its way to 16 new markets. It’s not clear whether any locations in the Netherlands are currently testing Apple Pay.

Apple Pay prepares to go live in the Netherlands

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Apple Pay Netherlands
Soon you'll be able to pay for your smoke and a pancake using your iPhone.
Screenshot: ING

Shortly after going live in Austria, Apple Pay is also set to commence operations in the Netherlands.

The information was shared by Dutch bank ING on its website. While it doesn’t give an exact date, it does note that Apple Pay is coming “soon.” That suggests that all the necessary negotiations have been completed, and it’s just a matter of flicking the switch to send it live.

iPhone XS reveals its secrets in first teardown video

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The first iPhone XS teardown video shows the unusual L-shaped battery.
The first iPhone XS teardown video shows the unusual L-shaped battery.
Photo: FixjeiPhone

The iPhone XS debuts tomorrow, but a video showing this device being disassembled is already available. This not only gives the first look at the internal components but reveals some of the details about this smartphone.

Perhaps the most unusual feature of Apple’s new high-end model is the L-shaped battery.

Tim Cook takes tour of Amsterdam with famous iPhone photog

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lucky kat studios
Tim Cook makes a pitstop at Lucky Kat Studios.
Photo: Lucky Kat Studios

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been touring the Netherlands the last few days where he has been visiting with local developers and chatting it up with one of the best iPhone photographers in the game.

Annet de Graaf (Instagram: @snapthecity) sat down with Cook in Amsterdam to talk about the city along with historian Koen Kleijn. It’s unclear what Cook’s agenda is for the trip, but he’s been hitting Twitter hard the last few days saying he loves, “the rich history and creative energy of this city.”

Judge rules that Apple must replace broken iPad with brand new one

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9.7 iPad Pro
Apple can't replace broken iPads with refurbished or remanufactured units.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A judge in the Netherlands has ruled that Apple must replace broken iOS devices with new iPhones or iPads, as opposed to refurbished or “remanufactured” units.

The case involves a woman who bought an iPad Air 2 with AppleCare back in 2015. After just four months, the iPad began having problems with the tablet’s WiFi technology, which prompted Apple to give her a remanufactured iPad as a replacement.

New Apple Store in the Netherlands will have a 360° Genius Bar

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Picture: CC Wikipedia
Picture: CC Wikipedia

Apple is set to open its new Dutch brick-and-mortar retail store this Saturday, according to ifoAppleStore.

This will be the third Apple Store to open in the Netherlands, with previous retail outfits opening in Amsterdam and Haarlem. The store will be located in Den Haag (The Hague), which is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, but an important city since it is the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Council of State.

Netherlands Apple Store Won’t Open This Year, Christmas Tree Returned

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(Credit: Dé Haagse nieuwssite)
(Credit: Dé Haagse nieuwssite)

Remember that story we ran recently about the Grinch Apple Store that stole Christmas?

For those who don’t recall, the news item in question concerned a giant Christmas tree  in shopping area De Passage of Netherlands city The Hague, which had been removed at Apple’s request so as not to obscure the entrance of its new store.

 

Ending Soon: Bug Out With The iOS Controlled Bug [Deals]

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CoM - iBug

Looking for a toy that is both fun, creepy, and lets you use your cherished iOS devices all at the same time? Then this Cult of Mac Deals offer will be right up your alley.

This little robotic bug looks and moves just like a real insect, but is completely controlled by your iOS device. That’s right – you can control this creepy crawler with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod – and we’ve got it at a 27% discount for a limited time. Thanks to Cult of Mac Deals you can get this tiny tech toy for only $29!

Samsung Had To Claim Their MultiTouch Software Is Terrible Compared To Apple’s

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apple-vs-samsung

Have you ever had to say that you’re terrible at something just so you can get some preferential treatment, even though you’re really not as bad as you claim? It’s silly, but sometimes it works.

That’s what happened to Samsung today. In order to not get their products banned from the Netherlands, Samsung had to tell the court today that their multitouch software is really terrible in comparison to Apple’s.

The iPhone 4S Goes On Sale In 22 More Countries Today

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174299-apple-iphone-4s-lines-stretch-toward-4-million-sales

Although we Yanks and select Euros already have iPhone 4Ses in our pockets, the iPhone 4S launch is hardly over. Far from it.

Today, Apple started selling the iPhone 4S in twenty-two other countries. Those countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Any Liechtensteiners care to report on how the lines are looking over there?