Apple steps up war of words with European regulators
2 hours ago Share Save Lily Jamali North America Technology Correspondent, Cupertino, CA Share Save
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"Bureaucrats in Brussels" are unfairly challenging Apple's closed ecosystem and denying users the "magical, innovative experience" that makes the firm unique, Apple said. "We have a serious threat to that in Europe," executive Greg Joswiak said in advance of the recent launch of its newest products and features. The so-called walled garden that combines Apple's products and software ensures a safe and high quality experience for users, it says, but EU regulators counter that it unfairly shuts out rivals. The two sides have had years of rows, culminating in a €500m (£430m; $586m) fine handed down in April by the EU, which accuses the tech giant of anti-competitive behaviour on its App Store.
As part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in 2022 and began to apply in 2024, the EU targets several major tech companies. In Apple's case, the DMA requires it in part to ensure that devices, such as headphones, made by other brands will work with iPhones. The DMA also requires that Apple allow notifications to show up on third-party smartwatches and not just the Apple Watch - and to let other platforms send and accept content to and from an Apple device via AirDrop. "That's a good thing for consumers, because that means that you actually have choice over which device you're going to use, and you can get them to talk to one another, essentially," said Sébastien Pant of BEUC, an umbrella group of dozens of consumer advocacy organisations. "It's important to try to tackle the kind of walled garden problem that we've had for years" and "try to provide consumers with more choice in the digital market," Pant added. But Apple is publicly pushing back as it releases its new AirPods Pro 3. The wireless earphones will feature "Live Translation," which allows users to hear in their preferred language on their AirPods. The new AirPods Pro 3 and Live Translation were released last week in the US, but won't be available to users in Europe for now, Apple said. The company said the technology is currently only possible by having microphones on AirPods and the iPhone work together, and that opening up access to other devices would require extra engineering work in order to meet user expectations on privacy, security and integrity. "They want to take the magic away - of having a tightly integrated experience that Apple provides - and make us like the other guys," Joswiak said during a press briefing with reporters at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple escalates public complaints