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The EU wants Apple to open AirDrop and AirPlay to Android and other platforms (9to5google.com)

submitted 5 days ago by henfredemars@infosec.pub to c/android@lemdro.id

43 comments fedilink hide all child comments

EU regulation has led to Apple being forced to open up iOS in ways that many never expected, but it’s not done just yet. In an effort to ensure “effective interoperability” with other platforms, the EU wants Apple to make native features of iOS being compatible with Android, including the likes of AirDrop and more.

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[-] emax_gomax@lemmy.world 122 points 5 days ago

Can they add chromecast as well. Absurd that it's a closed source protocol that still doesn't work well with Firefox and other browsers.

[-] king_tronzington@lemm.ee 23 points 5 days ago

Chromecast is the only reason I keep chrome installed on my laptop. Would love a better alternative

[-] kivulallo@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

I use fx_cast extension, it's been working great for years. Although it needs the "bridge" to be installed, which is some minimal headless chromium thing.

It's not a seemless experience, as it has a domain whitelist enabled by default, so you need to mess with it in the extension settings first, but once it's been set up, it's fine.

Sometimes it can mix up old/expired sessions, so the website would say you're casting but you're not. You can just press the "active" cast button and disconnect, then reconnect again.

Some other times (rarely) it fails to mock the casting feature and you won't see the cast button or it would be disabled. Refreshing the page helps. If not, double check your whitelist.

[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 41 points 4 days ago

Liked "EU regulation has led to Apple being forced to..."

[-] 30p87@feddit.org 24 points 5 days ago

Finally. Even though it works horribly.

[-] pupbiru@aussie.zone 10 points 5 days ago

i’m not sure of the issues that you’re having, but it almost always works perfectly for me - screen mirroring, media control (streaming from device as well as remote control of existing media - even streamed from 1 device to eg a homepod and then using another device to skip etc), airdrop files and photos etc to my own device or others’ devices, even the new ability to walk away and have the transfer continue over the internet

can’t remember the last time i had an issue that wasn’t solved immediately by a retry, and even those issues are very rare

… in my experience at least

[-] 30p87@feddit.org 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

600 students, ~100 teachers, everyone has an iPad (plus many have an iPhone). ~20 students per class.

AirPlay often didn't work with the 'smart' boards, and not even much better with the extra AppleTVs we got.
AirDrop only showed ~50% of the students, of course including ones in other classrooms, so that isn't due to distance. Even if you were displayed, again 50% that the file actually got to you. A restart 'fixed' that - but restarting every 1.5 hours for a new class because Apples AirDrop team is apparently just as incompetent as its MDM team is pretty annoying. Then, sometimes, WiFi was way too unstable, but still used by AirDrop normally, which meant nothing worked.

We resorted to teams, which was perfect for me, as I was using a laptop at that point, as it was much better suited for basically everything done in class.

It may work in small groups, eg. one to one, but only if both have an Apple device, which isn't really likely. And in larger groups, eg. schools, it scales very badly.

Edit: I forgot to say: I have a literal tirade about apple devices, in that context and in general, but that's only minorly relevant, and I'm too lazy to translate it to english.

[-] pupbiru@aussie.zone 1 points 4 days ago

yeah i’m not sure about the scale issues. i’m a software engineer, so use it in teams of ~6-10 (more in the building, but not as close as classrooms) where everyone gets a macbook and iphone

it works close to perfectly in those situations

[-] boboliosisjones@feddit.nu 4 points 4 days ago

Apple should want this for themselves already, the closed loop Apple shit is so dumb. Hence why very few use this stuff in my country where Apple probably has around half the market give or take.

[-] viking@infosec.pub 8 points 5 days ago

Is airdrop more than just some random gimmick? All I heard was that people use it to spew memes and dick pics onto unsuspecting passengers in the same subway car and the likes.

[-] coronach@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It's very, very useful for people to share videos instantly. For instance, someone takes a video at the end of a dance class and then sends it to the teacher for them to post online after. Or two people want to practice something so they record a small thing and send to the other person. It's seamless and really quick.

Android users end up having to wait for someone to upload to e.g. Dropbox and then share a link.

[-] theterrasque@infosec.pub 5 points 4 days ago

Android users use quick share these days

[-] coronach@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 4 days ago

Thanks for showing, I didn't know about that. Proprietary, of course...

[-] theterrasque@infosec.pub 4 points 4 days ago

Proprietary, of course…

Sadly. At least there seem to be an open source implementation of it, don't know if it's reverse engineered or if there's design docs available somewhere: https://github.com/Martichou/rquickshare

[-] smeg@feddit.uk 2 points 4 days ago

Couldn't you just do that with Bluetooth like 20 years ago?

[-] coronach@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 4 days ago

You have to pair first. Then you have to troubleshoot because Bluetooth isn't very good. And then you get slow transfer rates.

With airdrop you literally open it up, find the person, then drop it. No pairing, no bullshit. It just works and you get on with your life.

[-] GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 4 days ago

Even today I don't know how to share files to or from my Android phone as easily as I can with AirDrop. Bluetooth sharing is slow as balls and requires setup. Is Quick Share better now, or is it just a new name for the same old feature? I haven't tested it recently myself.

AirDrop operates over wi-fi with autodiscovery over local networks. No account or pairing required.

[-] bokherif@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It’s useful when it works. You have alternatives in Android, but come on we’re in 2024, “smart” devices should be able to talk to each other regardless of the operating system.

[-] WolfLink@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 days ago

It’s often the fastest and most convenient method to send a file between two computers or phones (provided both are Apple products).

[-] drwankingstein@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 5 days ago

when does apple turn around and just stop selling in the EU?

[-] lemmus@lemmy.world 70 points 5 days ago

Whenever they want to. The EU is entitled to protect its citizens from anticompetitive behavior and companies are free to stop doing business there if they don’t like it.

[-] lolrightythen@lemmy.world 20 points 5 days ago

Truth.

Corpos might cave to pressure. Another politician might get elected.

Or your consumer/voter base might get dumb and complacent.

Good luck, all

[-] Realitaetsverlust@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 days ago

People are also free to simply not buy products.

[-] Delzur@vegantheoryclub.org 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Given the market size, never?

[-] RandomVideos@programming.dev 2 points 4 days ago

When it stops being profitable to sell in the EU

According to Wikipedia, apple is the second most profitable company so i dont think that will happen soon

[-] oldfart@lemm.ee 2 points 4 days ago

Android Auto and Chromecast when?

[+] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works -25 points 5 days ago

I thought competition was about HAVING features that differentiate you from the others; Not forcing everyone to give their good ideas to everyone else?

[-] x00z@lemmy.world 20 points 5 days ago

File sharing using bluetooth and wifi are not Apple's ideas.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works -4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

you are correct, they are not, however, Apple‘s optimization and the mechanisms underpinning how those actually function is significantly different and superior to the regular file sharing that you’re describing. I am not making this information up. You can verify this yourself. I can provide some citations if you wish. And yes, I was foolish to post my comment in an android community.

[-] Giorgsen@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

You can't share videos via Bluetooth from iOS to Android because Apple things. There's currently no way to send a video form an iPhone to Pixel directly. And using online sharing platforms always compresses videos.

I don't see how anyone can defend this in any way

[-] lengau@midwest.social 12 points 4 days ago

If the fuel for your car were specifically tied to the manufacturer, would that increase or decrease competition?

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works -1 points 4 days ago

https://sh.itjust.works/comment/15690222

[-] lengau@midwest.social 2 points 4 days ago

That's avoiding the question. It also ignores the fact that there are already multiple competing implementations that are also better than standard Bluetooth file sharing, but that Apple's walled Garden prevents several of them from being usable on Apple's devices, so if you're taking that approach then you're trading off one method of Apple being anticompetitive for another.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 0 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I agree that Apple should allow standard Bluetooth or wifi-based file sharing and streaming available to all, on its devices. What I disagree with, is the idea that Apple should make t he proprietary optimizations that it created for Airplay and air sharing freely available.

[-] lengau@midwest.social 1 points 4 days ago

And if Apple is preventing other competing proprietary systems from working on their platform, do you agree that they should allow those systems to work on their platform?

Apple's versions aren't really any better than competing systems (some of which are open) in my experience. They're just better than the other systems they allow to operate on their devices, which is a way of using their large market share to prevent competition. Apple have used "but muh security!" as a response to letting competing services onto iOS, so the EU are giving them the other option - open up your own standard so others can use it.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

You make good points, and Apple's "security" argument is of course bullshit

[-] jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

When something is subject to the network effect, competition requires interoperability. This applies almost universally to technical standards.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works -5 points 4 days ago

It sounds like you are providing a reasoned explanation of ideas, rather than just downvoting me. That can't be right, can it?

[-] Turret3857@infosec.pub 8 points 5 days ago

Competition is when Monopoly

this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2024

245 points (98.8% liked)

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