Two of the world’s largest smart phone makers, Apple and Samsung, were fined a total of 15 million euros (17.1 million U.S. dollars) this week in part for taking what are seen as illegal steps to force customers to buy new replacement phones sooner than they would have.
本周，全球最大的兩家智慧型手機製造商蘋果和三星被處以總計1,500萬歐元(合1,710萬美元)的罰款，部分原因是它們採取了被視為非法的措施，迫使消費者提前購買新手機。
The fines from the country’s antitrust regulator are officially for the companies』 frequent use of firmware updates that "have caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thereby accelerating the process of replacing them."
該國反壟斷監管機構的罰款正式用於這兩家公司頻繁使用「導致嚴重故障並顯著降低性能的固件更新，從而加快了更換它們的過程。」
Combined, Apple and Samsung account for more than half of the Italian smartphone market, and around a third of the worldwide market for the devices.
蘋果和三星佔義大利智慧型手機市場的一半以上，在全球智慧型手機市場佔據了約三分之一的份額。
According to Rocco Panetta, managing partner of the Panetta &Associati law firm specializing in competition issues, it is significant that the rulings each carried the maximum fine the antitrust watchdog could issue -- 5 million euros (5.7 million U.S. dollars). U.S.-based Apple was found guilty of two separate violations, while Samsung, from South Korea, was guilty of one.
據專注於競爭問題的美國帕內塔律師事務所(Panetta &Associati)管理合伙人羅科·帕內塔表示，重要的是，每項裁決均可以對反託拉斯監管機構發行最高罰款 - 500萬歐元(570萬美元)。總部位於美國的蘋果公司被判兩項獨立侵權，而來自韓國的三星則被判一項侵權。
"This was not a half-measure from the antitrust authority," Panetta told Xinhua. "They were sending a message."
「這不是反託拉斯當局的權宜之計，」帕內塔告訴新華社。「他們正在發出訊號。」
Vincenzo Zeno-Zencovich, a professor of information technology and communications law at Roma Tre University, said the rulings could spark similar rulings and fines in other European countries.
羅馬特雷大學信息技術和通信法教授文森佐·澤諾-曾科維奇表示，這些裁決可能會在歐洲其他國家引發類似的裁決和罰款。
"None of the other authorities want to say 』We are less active than the authority in Italy』," Zeno-Zencovich said in an interview. "The compliance costs will add up."
沒有任何其他當局會說「我們不如義大利當局那麼積極」， 曾科維奇在接受採訪時說。「合規成本將會增加」。
The fines are reportedly the first ever for what is termed "planned obsolescence" of the high-tech phones.
據報導，這些高科技手機被稱為「計劃淘汰」，這是第一次被罰款。
Still, it could be years before either company is forced to pay anything. Panetta noted that the companies each have 60 days to appeal the antitrust ruling, and the appeal process could take as long as a year to complete. Even if the regional court upholds the ruling, the companies could appeal one time after that.
不過，兩年公司被迫支付費用尚需幾年時間。帕內塔指出，兩家公司都有60天時間對反壟斷裁決提出上訴，上訴程序可能需要長達一年的時間才能完成。即使地區法院維持裁決，這些公司也可以在那之後上訴一次。
Apple has not formally commented on the ruling. In a statement, Samsung denied wrongdoing and said the company would cooperate with Italian authorities.
蘋果尚未正式對該裁決發表評論。在一份聲明中，三星否認有不當行為，並表示該公司將與義大利當局合作。
"The companies are expected to fight these charges aggressively," Panetta said. "In part that is on principle, and in part because if the ruling is upheld here (in Italy) it could make it to the European Union, and they can levy much bigger fines."
「這些公司有望積極抵制這些指控，」帕內塔說。「部分是原則性的，部分是因為如果在這裡(在義大利)維持裁決，它會進入歐盟，這樣就會徵收更多的罰款。」
In addition to the potential fines, the companies could be forced to change the way they operate, calling for more transparency on the impacts of software updates and making such updates easier to opt out of.
除了潛在的罰款之外，這2家公司可能被迫改變其運營方式，提高軟體更新影響的透明度，並使這些更新更容易被拒絕。
With this move, Italian regulators reinforce their presence on the vanguard of policing the activities of big, multi-national technology companies, whether it is on unfair competition, tax policies, privacy issues, or consumer advocacy.
通過此舉，義大利監管機構加強了他們在監管大型跨國科技公司活動的先鋒地位，無論是在不公平競爭、稅收政策、隱私問題還是消費者權益保護方面。
Apple and Samsung were the two largest smartphone makers in the world every quarter between mid-2011 and mid-2018, according to analytic firm Statistica. But this year, China’s Huawei surpassed Apple for the second spot in terms of the number of units sold.
根據分析公司Statistica的數據，2011年中期至2018年中期，蘋果和三星是全球最大的兩家智慧型手機製造商。但今年，中國的華為在銷售量方面超過蘋果排名第二。
Japan
日本
Japan’s intricate etiquette system encompasses gratuities. It is socially acceptable on occasions such as weddings, funerals, and special events, but on more common situations, it can actually make the receiver feel belittled, if not insulted.
日本錯綜複雜的禮儀體系包含了各種小費。被習俗允許收受小費的地方包括(但不僅限於)婚禮、葬禮，還有其他一些特殊場合。一般情況下，給小費會被對方認為是一種冒犯、侮辱。
The philosophy is that good service should be expected in the first place. Even on occasions where tips are expected, it follows a protocol that includes handing the money in special envelopes as a sign of gratitude and respect.
這背後的邏輯與哲學有關：提供優質服務是職責所在，道理上不應該得到額外酬謝。即使在可以接受小費的情況下，也需要遵守一定規矩，比如小費要裝在一個特殊的信封裡，以示尊重和感謝。
Hotel personnel, who are almost universally courteous and prompt, are trained to politely refuse tips.
酒店的員工專門受過如何禮貌地拒絕小費的培訓。彬彬有禮和及時回應是他們的職業操守準則。