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S.Korea Approves Rules on App Store Law Targeting Apple, Google

The Apple Inc. logo is seen in the lobby of New York City's flagship Apple store, US, January 18, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Segar
The Apple Inc. logo is seen in the lobby of New York City's flagship Apple store, US, January 18, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Segar
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S.Korea Approves Rules on App Store Law Targeting Apple, Google

The Apple Inc. logo is seen in the lobby of New York City's flagship Apple store, US, January 18, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Segar
The Apple Inc. logo is seen in the lobby of New York City's flagship Apple store, US, January 18, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Segar

South Korea approved detailed rules for a law banning dominant app store operators such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google from forcing software developers to use their payments systems, the country's telecommunications regulator said on Tuesday.

South Korea passed the law, an amendment to the Telecommunication Business Act, last year, Reuters reported.

It was the first such curb by a major economy on Apple and Google, which face global criticism for requiring the use of proprietary payment systems that charge commissions of up to 30%.

The rules, called the enforcement ordinance, will be put into effect on March 15. They specify that the law bars "the act of forcing a specific payment method to a provider of mobile content" by unfairly utilizing the app market operator's status, the regulator Korea Communications Commission (KCC) said in a statement.

"In order to prevent indirect regulatory avoidance, prohibited acts' types and standards have been established as tightly-knit as possible within the scope delegated by the law," said KCC Chairman Han Sang-hyuk.

Barred acts include app market operators unfairly delaying the review of mobile content, or refusing, delaying, restricting, deleting, or blocking the registration, renewal, or inspection of mobile content that uses third-party payment methods.

Potential fines for infractions will go as high as 2% of an average annual revenue from related business practices, the rules said.

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Chinese Robot 'Guide Dog' Aims to Improve Independence for Visually Impaired

A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
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Chinese Robot 'Guide Dog' Aims to Improve Independence for Visually Impaired

A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan

It's less furry than a traditional companion, but a six-legged Chinese robot "guide dog" could one day help vision impaired people live more independently, according to its research development team in Shanghai.
The robot dog, which is currently being field-tested, is able to navigate its physical environment via cameras and sensors, including recognizing traffic light signals, which traditional guide dogs are unable to do, Reuters said.
Roughly the size of an English Bulldog but a bit wider, it can communicate by listening and speaking with a visually impaired operator with artificial intelligence technology incorporated into its voice recognition, route planning capabilities and traffic light identification. It also has six legs, which the researchers said helps it walk smoothly and with maximum stability.
"When three legs are lifted, there are still three legs .. like the tripod of a camera. It is the most stable shape," said Professor Gao Feng, the head of the research team at Jiao Tong University's School of Mechanical Engineering in Shanghai.
Married couple Li Fei, 41, and Zhu Sibin, 42, are among the visually impaired people helping the Jiao Tong University team test the robot using Chinese-language commands.
Li is completely blind and Zhu sees only a little, normally using a cane to assist him in getting around.
"If this robot guide dog comes onto the market and I could use it, at least it could solve some of my problems in traveling alone," Li said. "For example, if I want to go to work, the hospital or the supermarket (now) I cannot go out alone and must be accompanied by my family or volunteers."
Robot guide dogs are under development in other countries, including Australia and Britain, but China has a drastic shortage of traditional guide dogs.
In China, there are just over 400 guide dogs for almost 20 million blind people, Gao said.
Pet ownership and service animals are also relatively new concepts in the country, meaning many workplaces, restaurants and other public areas wouldn't welcome a more traditional helper like a Labrador.
Unlike those dogs, which will always be limited in supply due to the natural limitations of breeding and the intense training required, Gao said the production of robot guide dogs could be scaled, especially in a major manufacturing hub like China.
"It's a bit like cars. I can mass-produce them in the same way as cars, so it will become more affordable," Gao said. "I think this could be a very large market, because there might be tens of millions of people in the world who need guide dogs."