I’m in the market for a new phone and my head was turned by all the things the latest iPhone 17 could do. I thought the new translation feature could solve the problem Dublin people seem to have understanding my accent the odd time I visit the city.

However, they tell me that this and other services aren’t available here because of the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

The mighty Apple corporation has now joined us farmers in having one hand tied behind its back.

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It’s not today nor yesterday that farmers have been denied access to a range of sprays, genetically modified crops and hormones for livestock management, thanks to EU legislation. These are all available in the US and most other countries in the world but not the EU, and now the iPhone joins the list.