{"id":23014,"date":"2025-10-29T18:57:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T17:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/?p=23014"},"modified":"2025-10-29T18:57:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T17:57:10","slug":"apple-the-digital-markets-acts-impacts-on-eu-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/?p=23014","title":{"rendered":"Apple: The Digital Markets Act\u2019s impacts on EU users"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Apple, we\u2019ve always focused on creating technology that empowers people and enriches their lives. We design our products to be intuitive and simple to use, to work seamlessly together, and to protect people\u2019s privacy and security. Since we launched the App Store in 2008, we\u2019ve also worked with developers to create one of the most vibrant, safe, and successful digital marketplaces in the world<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Apple<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Millions of people in Europe choose Apple products because they love and trust them. Developers choose them to reach users globally and build thriving businesses. It\u2019s a model that works \u2014 in Europe and around the world.
\nBut the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is forcing us to make some concerning changes to how we design and deliver Apple products to our users in Europe.<\/p>\n

What Is the Digital Markets Act?<\/strong>
\nThe Digital Markets Act is a regulation the European Union introduced in 2022 to reshape how certain technology companies design their products. The DMA includes a long list of rules, but the way those rules are implemented looks very different from company to company.
\nFor Apple, the DMA is impacting many parts of our EU users\u2019 experience on our products \u2014 from how they download apps and make app payments, to how their Apple products work together.
\nOver the past few months, the European Commission \u2014 which is responsible for the DMA \u2014 has asked for more feedback from companies and EU citizens about the law\u2019s effects. So we wanted to update Apple users in the EU on the changes they\u2019ve started to see, and what they can expect in the future.<\/p>\n

The DMA\u2019s Impacts on Apple Users in the EU<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feature Delays<\/strong>
\nThe DMA requires Apple to make certain features work on non-Apple products and apps before we can share them with our users. Unfortunately, that requires a lot of engineering work, and it\u2019s caused us to delay some new features in the EU:
\n\u2022 Live Translation with AirPods uses Apple Intelligence to let Apple users communicate across languages. Bringing a sophisticated feature like this to other devices creates challenges that take time to solve. For example, we designed Live Translation so that our users\u2019 conversations stay private \u2014 they\u2019re processed on device and are never accessible to Apple \u2014 and our teams are doing additional engineering work to make sure they won\u2019t be exposed to other companies or developers either.
\n\u2022 iPhone Mirroring lets our users see and interact with their iPhone from their Mac, so they can seamlessly check their notifications, or drag and drop photos between devices. Our teams still have not found a secure way to bring this feature to non-Apple devices without putting all the data on a user\u2019s iPhone at risk. And as a result, we have not been able to bring the feature to the EU.
\n\u2022 We\u2019ve also had to delay useful features like Visited Places and Preferred Routes on Maps, which store location data that cannot be associated with a user\u2019s identity. So far, our teams haven\u2019t found a way to share these capabilities with other developers without exposing our users\u2019 locations \u2014 something we are not willing to do.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve suggested changes to these features that would protect our users\u2019 data, but so far, the European Commission has rejected our proposals. And according to the European Commission, under the DMA, it\u2019s illegal for us to share these features with Apple users until we bring them to other companies\u2019 products. If we shared them any sooner, we\u2019d be fined and potentially forced to stop shipping our products in the EU.
\nWe want our users in Europe to enjoy the same innovations at the same time as everyone else, and we\u2019re fighting to make that possible \u2014 even when the DMA slows us down. But the DMA means the list of delayed features in the EU will probably get longer. And our EU users\u2019 experience on Apple products will fall further behind.<\/p>\n

A Riskier, Less Intuitive App Experience<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve always run the App Store to be a safe and trusted marketplace for our users, and to create an incredible business opportunity for developers. Due to the DMA, our EU users are experiencing the following impacts:
\n\u2022 More risks when downloading apps and making payments:<\/strong> The DMA requires Apple to allow sideloading, other app marketplaces, and alternative payment systems \u2014 even if they don\u2019t meet the same high privacy and security standards as the App Store. On other mobile platforms, users face scams spread through fake banking apps, malware disguised as games, and third-party payment systems that overcharge them with no way to get their money back. The DMA\u2019s requirements make it more likely our EU users will be exposed to similar risks.
\n\u2022 A less intuitive experience:<\/strong> Instead of one trusted place to get apps, EU users now face multiple marketplaces, each with their own design, rules, and review standards. On other mobile platforms, that leads to harmful look-alike apps that slip through with fewer checks, and marketplaces where users don\u2019t know where to turn if something goes wrong. Apple users in the EU are now more likely to face those same risks. And it\u2019ll only become harder for our EU users to know where an app came from, who\u2019s responsible for it, and what protections apply if problems arise.
\n\u2022 New exposure to harmful apps:<\/strong> For the first time, pornography apps are available on iPhone from other marketplaces \u2014 apps we\u2019ve never allowed on the App Store because of the risks they create, especially for children. That includes Hot Tub, a pornography app that was announced by AltStore earlier this year. The DMA has also brought gambling apps to iPhone in regions where they are prohibited by law.<\/p>\n

We built the App Store to be a central, trusted place for our users where every app is reviewed, every developer follows the same rules, and parents have tools to protect their children. We\u2019re still fighting to protect that quality experience our users expect, but the DMA has forced changes to that model. And that\u2019s creating more complexity and more risks for our EU users.<\/p>\n

New Privacy and Security Threats<\/strong>
\nThe DMA also lets other companies request access to user data and core technologies of Apple products. Apple is required to meet almost every request, even if they create serious risks for our users.<\/p>\n

So far, companies have submitted requests for some of the most sensitive data on a user\u2019s iPhone. The most concerning include:
\n\u2022 The complete content of a user\u2019s notifications:<\/strong> This data includes the content of a user\u2019s messages, emails, medical alerts, and any other notifications a user receives. And it would reveal data to other companies that currently, even Apple can\u2019t access.
\n\u2022 The full history of Wi-Fi networks a user has joined:<\/strong> Wi-Fi history can reveal sensitive information about a user\u2019s location and activities. For instance, companies can use it to track whether you\u2019ve visited a certain hospital, hotel, fertility clinic, or courthouse.<\/p>\n

Large companies continue to submit new requests to collect even more data \u2014 putting our EU users at much higher risk of surveillance and tracking. Our teams have explained these risks to the European Commission, but so far, they haven\u2019t accepted privacy and security concerns as valid reasons to turn a request down.<\/p>\n

Is the DMA Achieving Its Goals?<\/strong>
\nRegulators claimed the DMA would promote competition and give European consumers more choices. But the law is not living up to those promises. In fact, it\u2019s having some of the opposite effects:
\n\u2022 Fewer choices:<\/strong> When features are delayed or unavailable, EU users don\u2019t get the same options as users in the rest of the world. They lose the choice to use Apple\u2019s latest technologies, and their devices fall further behind.
\n\u2022 Less differentiation:<\/strong> By forcing Apple to build features and technologies for non-Apple products, the DMA is making the options available to European consumers more similar. For instance, the changes to app marketplaces are making iOS look more like Android \u2014 and that reduces choice.
\n\u2022 Unfair competition:<\/strong> The DMA\u2019s rules only apply to Apple, even though Samsung is the smartphone market leader in Europe, and Chinese companies are growing fast. Apple has led the way in building a unique, innovative ecosystem that others have copied \u2014 to the benefit of users everywhere. But instead of rewarding that innovation, the DMA singles Apple out while leaving our competitors free to continue as they always have.<\/p>\n

Under the DMA, the European Commission\u2019s interpretation of the rules is constantly changing. And that makes it nearly impossible for companies to know how to comply.
\nWhen there are disagreements about the DMA\u2019s requirements, companies have to make the European Commission\u2019s changes before the courts weigh in \u2014 which can takes months or years \u2014 even if that does irreversible harm to users. And the penalties for failing to comply are totally arbitrary. They\u2019re applied unevenly, and they\u2019re designed to punish companies instead of promoting competition.
\nOver time, it\u2019s become clear that the DMA isn\u2019t helping markets. It\u2019s making it harder to do business in Europe.<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s Perspective on the DMA<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s been more than a year since the Digital Markets Act was implemented. Over that time, it\u2019s become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU. It\u2019s exposing them to new risks, and disrupting the simple, seamless way their Apple products work together. And as new technologies come out, our European users\u2019 Apple products will only fall further behind.
\nThe DMA also isn\u2019t helping European markets. Instead of competing by innovating, already successful companies are twisting the law to suit their own agendas \u2014 to collect more data from EU citizens, or to get Apple\u2019s technology for free.
\nDespite our concerns with the DMA, teams across Apple are spending thousands of hours to bring new features to the European Union while meeting the law\u2019s requirements. But it\u2019s become clear that we can\u2019t solve every problem the DMA creates.
\nThat\u2019s why we\u2019re urging regulators to take a closer look at how the law is affecting the EU citizens who use Apple products every day. We believe our users in Europe deserve the best experience on our technology, at the same standard we provide in the rest of the world \u2014 and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll keep fighting to deliver.<\/p>\n

Above, Tim Cook poses with customers purchasing the new iPhone Air \/ image credited to Apple<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At Apple, we\u2019ve always focused on creating technology that empowers people and enriches their lives. We design our products to be intuitive and simple to use, to work seamlessly together, and to protect people\u2019s privacy and security. Since we launched the App Store in 2008, we\u2019ve also worked with developers to create one of the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading \u00abApple: The Digital Markets Act\u2019s impacts on EU users\u00bb<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[41],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23014"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23014"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23016,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23014\/revisions\/23016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/telecomkh.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}