It didn't take long for the commentariat to spot the anti-antitrust angle.
From MacRumors' "Apple Launches Service for Transferring iCloud Photos and Videos to Google Photos" posted Wednesday:
Apple this week introduced a new service that's designed to make it quick and easy for iCloud users to transfer their stored photos and videos to Google Photos.
As outlined in an Apple support document, you can go to Apple's privacy website and sign in to see the "Transfer a copy of your data" option. If you select this and go through all the steps, Apple will transfer your iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos.
Transferring photos and videos from iCloud Photos does not remove the content you have stored with Apple, but it provides a backup method and stores a copy of the content on Google Photos.
The transfer process takes between three and seven days...
From Twitter:
- Matt Navarra @MattNavarra Apple quickly putting its house in order ahead of hearings accusing it of having a monopoly
- Emil Protalinski @EPro This reads like another anti antitrust move. In recent months Apple has moved proactively to make iOS and related services feel slightly less limiting.
My take: Too cynical? I'm not sure. I suspect this is a service many customers will appreciate. It's also, perhaps, a measure of Apple's trust in Google's two-factor authentication.
Apple Faces U.K. Antitrust Probe Over App Store Rules
https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-faces-u-k-antitrust-probe-over-app-store-rules-11614861789
Everyone wants a free ride on Apple after they make it big only because Apple can deliver these App Developers an instant market of 1.5 billion devices to download their wares. The consumer is protected because of Apple’s strict guidelines. There is no free lunch, but this is the entitlement generation and they will just have to abide the rules, or get spanked like Epic is going to wind up receiving at trial with their idiotic position.
Well said.
Furthermore, why can’t there be walled gardens without reproach. If they’re beautiful, satisfying and rewarding to the paying customer — so be it.
It’s been accused of Apple before. Affordable luxury.