Apple just lost its lawsuit trying to ban iOS virtual machines (techradar.com)

Article summary

A US court has ruled that Corellium's virtual iOS devices are allowed and that Apple cannot stop them. Corellium provides virtual iOS devices for security research purposes, and the court found that this use is protected by copyright law's fair use doctrine. Apple had been trying to ban these virtual devices, but the court's decision upholds a previous ruling from 2020. The ruling may have implications for Apple's control over its ecosystem and the ability of security researchers to test iOS devices.

Main themes

• Apple ecosystem control
• Fair use doctrine
• Security research
• App Store fees
• Competition and monopoly
• Consumer protection
• Device ownership rights
• Exploitation and ethics

What commenters say

• Apple's control over its ecosystem is excessive and stifles competition.
• The company's rules protect consumers from exploitative practices by other companies.
• Allowing alternate app stores on iOS devices would subject users to unethical companies.
• The ability to install alternate app stores and operating systems is a fundamental right of device owners.
• Apple's 30% cut of app sales is a legitimate fee for the services it provides.
• The App Store's rules and fees are a form of exploitation that harms developers and consumers.
• The Epic Games case is not relevant to the issue of Apple's control over its ecosystem.
• Apple's protection of consumers is not sufficient to justify its control over the App Store.