Author: Richard

German media organizations and publishers are pressing the nation’s antitrust regulator to dismiss Apple’s suggested modifications to App Tracking Transparency (ATT) and levy a penalty against the company. Here are the specifics.

## A bit of background

Regarding the App Tracking Transparency functionality, which permits users to decide if their information is shared with third parties through cross-application tracking, Apple is engaged in various antitrust disputes, mainly within Europe.

Overall, the allegations are similar: App Tracking Transparency is deemed anticompetitive.

From the perspective of publishers, Apple ought not to obstruct the connection between publications and advertising data. Additionally, they criticize that Apple’s own applications are not governed by the same limitations that ATT imposes.

Naturally, Apple disputes this description, asserting the following:

> “Apple (…) holds itself to a higher standard than it demands of any third-party developer by offering users a clear choice regarding whether they would like personalized ads. Furthermore, Apple has created services and features like Siri, Maps, FaceTime, and iMessage in such a way that it cannot link data across these services even if it wanted to.”

Germany is one of the nations examining whether ATT is anticompetitive. Last year, in an effort to placate the country’s antitrust regulators, the company put forth several modifications to the framework’s regulations.

From Reuters’ initial reporting on Apple’s proposed modifications:

> Apple had consented to implement neutral consent prompts for both its own services and third-party applications, and to largely synchronize the phrasing, content, and visual design of these notifications, stated Andreas Mundt, head of Germany’s Bundeskartellamt.
>
> The firm also proposed streamlining the consent process allowing developers to secure user approval for advertising-related data processing in compliance with data protection legislation.

At that time, German regulators initiated a consultation with industry publications to ascertain whether the proposals resolved their issues.

Ultimately, the response was a definitive no.

## German publishers fight back

As reported by Reuters today:

> Apple’s intended adjustments to its app tracking regulations do not resolve antitrust concerns in the mobile advertising arena, associations representing German publishers and advertisers declared on Tuesday as they implored the nation’s antitrust authority to impose a penalty on the U.S. technology behemoth.
>
> “The proposed commitments would not alter the detrimental impacts of the App Tracking Transparency Framework,” Bernd Nauen, chief executive of the German Advertising Federation, commented in a joint letter signed by the trade organizations.
>
> “Apple would continue to act as the gatekeeper of data and would still dictate who gains access to advertising-relevant information and how businesses can engage with their end users,” he remarked.

Should the German regulatory body determine that Apple is in breach, the company could face fines up to 10% of its annual revenue. This ruling might also adversely affect Apple’s situation in other regions where ATT is still under examination.

9to5Mac contacted Apple for a response, and we will update this post upon receiving a reply.

**Update, 11:01 p.m. ET:** In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple remarked:

> “At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right, and we introduced App Tracking Transparency to provide users with a straightforward method to control whether apps have the authorization to monitor their activity across other companies’ applications and websites. The tracking industry has consistently opposed our efforts to empower users to manage their data, and this is merely their latest endeavor to gain unrestricted access to personal information. We will perpetuate our defense of this essential privacy tool for our users.”

### Apple Developer Verification Challenges: What You Should Be Aware Of

If you are an Apple developer encountering problems installing test builds on your device, you are not alone. Recent observations show that many developers are facing similar challenges, even though Apple’s system status page does not indicate any current issues.

#### Issue Description

The root of the challenge appears to be a dysfunctional Apple verification server that is vital for the app installation procedure. This issue presents itself to developers as a connectivity problem, causing confusion as they might think the issue lies within their own network or device configurations.

#### Error Notification

When trying to install an application, developers receive the following error notification:

> **Cannot Verify App**
>
> An Internet connection is necessary to confirm trust of the developer [name]. This app will not be accessible until verified.

This notification signifies that the verification process, which is crucial for ensuring the app’s trustworthiness, is failing because of the server malfunction.

#### Community Reaction

A Reddit thread has been monitoring this issue, emphasizing its widespread nature among developers. Currently, many are unable to install and evaluate their code modifications on their devices, which can greatly impact development processes.

#### Further Issues

Alongside the verification challenges, developers have also noted longer than anticipated app review periods. This adds another layer of annoyance for those eager to get their applications to users.

#### Summary

Although the verification server challenge is presently impacting numerous Apple developers, it is essential to stay informed through community forums and Apple’s official communications for any updates regarding a resolution to these issues. In the meantime, developers may need to explore alternative methods to test their applications or await the resolution of this situation.