The real challenge of the battle in Europe: the Apple brand – ZDNet France

Traditionally, the role devolved to Microsoft.

It was the gloomy company that was winning money and became a symbol of American technological excess. She struggled for years with the European Union before finally give in.

This is not instead of Apple. Apple is good taste, creativity, seduction

Apple, the former rebel became a citizen
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Therefore Cupertino could watch this sanction of $ 14.5 billion imposed by the EU and wince slightly. But the real problem is not money -. It can always be negotiated

What is at stake here is the Apple brand

Once Apple was the rebel guilty of only a few tricks, but the kind that sexy guys are supposed to do.

Then Tim Cook arrived, making blow a new air and Apple enter a new era that embraced social responsibility.

Apple was kinder, gentler, more mature and globally one of the finest citizens of the world

the former rebel had grown up a bit and started kissing popular causes. – whether LGBT rights or environmental policy

L former rebel still speaking of exciting products, but he also began to introduce privacy as a moral issue.

Apple’s Cook is the one who tries openly to improve society, not just to delight consumers with a greater iPad.

and suddenly, his company may be considered the most greedy global companies. And this at a time when the gap between those who have and those who have never had turns into a bottomless pit.

The Cook’s response to the EU decision was energetic. She was, however, also brings an angry threat.

“In addition to target blatantly Apple”, the CEO warned that “the most profound and negative effect of this decision will cover investment and job creation in Europe. “

in a way, it does not stick entirely with the tone of a new Apple and civilized.

A legal quagmire for years

Basically, Cook bet may be on Europe’s disarray to preserve Apple’s image as an entity (slightly) healthier.

The UK decided he had had enough of Europe, Greeks would never to have joined. And the entire European project looks like something that a consulting firm would have imagined, just before taking his own expense and watch everything fall apart.

But the only thing you know with Europe is that things do not tend to be resolved quickly. Apple could end up a prisoner of this legal quagmire for years.

The manufacturer must secretly hope that other tech companies find themselves caught in the same nets. . What confusing and forget that the accused is

Otherwise, the EU will work hard to portray Apple as the ugliest – and most profitable – example of ‘insatiable gluttony.

Perhaps consumers do not really even care not these transnational cases. Maybe the EU is for them just another bureaucratic institution trying to claim a profit.

But while Cupertino is accused of a sudden lack of imagination, with luminaries such as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff suggesting that Apple is far behind Samsung, Apple would prefer not to be seen as the big bad engulfing profits.

After all, the manufacturer an image to preserve. It has new and luxurious shops to open. Oh, and it must generate new consumer enthusiasm for its products come next week.

That was odd that Europe choose this week to declare war.