union Archives

Winsage

August 7, 2025

Microsoft sneakily disguises Windows 11 Start menu ad as a warning

Microsoft has introduced a notification in the Start menu of Windows 11, urging users to back up their PCs with OneDrive. The alert, which reads “Action advised — back up your PC,” suggests users may risk losing access to files, apps, settings, and passwords. Users can either engage with the prompt to access OneDrive backup options or dismiss it, but there is no straightforward way to permanently disable the notification. OneDrive offers 5GB of free storage, with additional space requiring a Microsoft 365 subscription starting at .99 per month for 100GB or .99 per month for 1TB. Users in the European Union are exempt from this notification due to regulations that restrict Microsoft's promotional practices.

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

Raven union secures Microsoft contract

Unionised employees at Raven Software have secured their first contract with Microsoft after nearly three years of negotiations involving 19 quality assurance staff members. The contract includes a ten percent compensation increase over the next two years, allows for permanent work-from-home arrangements, and reduces mandatory overtime while requiring a minimum of seven days' notice for any required overtime work. The unionisation process began in 2022, with Activision Blizzard recognizing the bargaining unit shortly after. However, in August 2024, the union accused Microsoft and Activision Blizzard of negotiating in "bad faith."

BetaBeacon

July 31, 2025

Epic’s Game Store is bringing Fortnite back to Google Play

Epic Games Store will be available on Google Play Store after a court ruling deemed Google's app store and payment system as illegal monopolies.

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

EU may block Android apps based on age verification

The European Union is developing an age verification application to enhance online safety for children and teenagers, utilizing the Google Play Integrity API to verify the integrity of Android applications. This system will prevent users from installing applications from third-party sources, and while it is still in development, no final decision has been made. The EU assures that users will retain control over their personal data. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve digital security and protect minors online, but it may face resistance from the Android community.

Winsage

July 31, 2025

Opera complains over Microsoft Edge persuasion tactics

Opera has filed a complaint with Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) against Microsoft, alleging anti-competitive practices that favor the Edge browser. The complaint claims that Microsoft uses "all-or-nothing" bundled rebates to ensure PC manufacturers pre-install Edge as the default browser and employs "dark pattern tactics" that disregard users' browser choices and restrict switching from Edge in Windows "S mode." In Brazil, Opera's market share is 6.78%, compared to Edge's 11.52% and Chrome's 74.95%. Opera's General Counsel, Aaron McParlan, advocates for a browser choice screen similar to one previously mandated by the EU. Additionally, Opera has filed an appeal with the EU General Court regarding the European Commission's decision not to classify Edge as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act. Microsoft has not yet commented on the complaint.

Winsage

July 30, 2025

Opera takes its browser beef with Microsoft to Brazil in antitrust complaint

Opera has filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft in Brazil, claiming that Microsoft's agreements to make Edge the sole pre-installed browser on Windows devices hinder competition for alternative browsers. Opera alleges that Microsoft uses design strategies and "dark patterns" to discourage users from downloading rival browsers, limiting consumer choice and undermining competition. Opera's general counsel stated that Microsoft restricts browser competition on Windows and has a history of legal disputes with Microsoft dating back to 2007. Opera is urging Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) to take action against Microsoft to create a more equitable environment for browser developers.

Winsage

July 30, 2025

Opera files complaint against Microsoft’s tricks to make you use Edge

Opera has filed a complaint against Microsoft in Brazil, accusing the company of using "manipulative design tactics" to dominate the browser market and hinder competition. Opera's general counsel, Aaron McParlan, stated that Microsoft creates barriers for other browsers, such as excluding them from preinstallation opportunities and complicating the download process. The complaint highlights Microsoft's practices of overriding users' default browser preferences and using Windows features to promote Edge. Opera seeks remedies to allow PC manufacturers to preload alternative browsers and stop blocking downloads. Additionally, the complaint criticizes Microsoft's requirement for OEMs to deliver devices in S mode to receive rebates on Windows OS licenses. This action is part of Opera's broader strategy to challenge Microsoft's practices globally, including an appeal to EU courts regarding the classification of Edge under the Digital Markets Act. Opera has a history of raising concerns about Microsoft's browser practices, including a 2007 antitrust complaint that led to the creation of a browser ballot screen.

AppWizard

July 28, 2025

EU Age Verification App to Ban Android Apps Not Licensed by Google

The European Union is enhancing its age verification system for social media by incorporating an Android app integrity check to ensure users are 18 or older before accessing adult content. This involves a white-label application to authenticate the legitimacy of the age verification app, which must be licensed by Google and downloaded from the Google Play Store. Users of custom ROMs may face restrictions, as the integrity check will not allow sideloaded or self-compiled applications. The age verification framework is still in planning, but the EU assures that user data will remain private and not monitored after verification.

AppWizard

July 28, 2025

EU’s upcoming age verification system may block sideloaded Android apps

The European Union's new app verification framework requires that apps be downloaded from the Google Play Store, licensed by Google, and installed on devices meeting specific security criteria to pass verification. Apps that are sideloaded, compiled from source, or installed from alternative app stores will not qualify for the EU's age verification system. If adopted without modifications, this framework will bar any non-compliant Android apps from operating within the EU, potentially excluding many third-party or custom-built applications. The system aims to enhance protections for minors while prioritizing user privacy by not collecting further usage data after a one-time age verification. Similar age verification initiatives are also emerging in the United States. The EU's approach may limit user autonomy and the openness of the Android platform, and Android users in Europe should prepare for potential restrictions.

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

Google faces new EU antitrust complaint over restrictions on removing pre-installed Android apps

A coalition of five digital rights and privacy organizations has filed a complaint against Google under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), alleging that the company restricts user autonomy on Android devices by making it difficult to remove or disable pre-installed applications like Google Search, Chrome, and Maps. The complaint claims that Google, designated as a ‘gatekeeper’ under the DMA, fails to comply with legal obligations to allow users to uninstall default services easily. Users reportedly face hidden settings, complicated instructions, and misleading warnings when trying to disable Google apps, which the coalition argues are designed to keep users reliant on Google's services. The European Commission has received the complaint and will review it as part of its enforcement process for the DMA, which allows for fines up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue and mandates changes in business practices for compliance.