Apple is ripping into the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), saying the new law is breaking the iPhone experience for millions of users. In a fiery statement, the company accused EU regulators of slowing innovation, exposing people to dangerous apps, and even putting their privacy at risk.
“The DMA requires Apple to make certain features work on non-Apple products and apps before we can share them with our users,” Apple said on late Wednesday evening in a press release. The result? Major new features like Live Translation with AirPods, iPhone Mirroring, and private location tools in Maps are delayed for EU customers only. Apple warned bluntly: “Our EU users’ experience on Apple products will fall further behind.”
The company also blasted the forced opening of the App Store, warning that sideloading and third-party stores will bring scams, malware, and porn onto iPhones for the first time. “The DMA’s requirements make it more likely our EU users will be exposed to similar risks,” Apple said, pointing to fake banking apps, gambling software, and explicit apps like Hot Tub that are now allowed under EU rules.
On privacy, Apple accused the EU of recklessly handing over sensitive iPhone data to competitors. “The complete content of a user’s notifications” and “the full history of Wi-Fi networks a user has joined” are among the requests Apple says it has been forced to comply with — data even Apple itself can’t normally access. “So far, they haven’t accepted privacy and security concerns as valid reasons to turn a request down,” the company said of the European Commission.
Apple also slammed the law as one-sided, arguing it unfairly targets them while letting Samsung and Chinese brands off the hook. “The DMA singles Apple out while leaving our competitors free to continue as they always have,” the company said. Instead of creating more choice, Apple claims the EU is actually reducing it: “The changes to app marketplaces are making iOS look more like Android — and that reduces choice.”
The company didn’t mince words about the broader picture: “Over time, it’s become clear that the DMA isn’t helping markets. It’s making it harder to do business in Europe.”
This is a scathing press release from Apple and they’re clearly mad about how the DMA will neuter its latest iPhone 17 and iPhone Air.
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An iPhone, but with some of the freedoms of Android? Where do I sign?!
Last time I checked, we here in Ontario do not have the ability to use our AirPods 2 Hearing Aid feature due to our provincial government blocking it.
Correct and Apple is working with the province to resolve the issue.