GoKawiilWhat we know so far: To comply with Europe's new tech industry regulations, Apple must allow businesses and developers to request interoperability with their devices. A recent request from Microsoft could allow users to seamlessly copy and paste content between Windows PCs and Apple devices, but whether the feature would be available globally remains unclear.
MacRumors recently spotted a request from Microsoft to Apple to enhance copy-and-paste capabilities between Windows and Apple devices in Europe. If implemented, the functionality might resemble the Universal Clipboard that currently works across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Developers who support Apple devices can view this and similar requests made via Apple's interoperability request form. The company launched the portal in compliance with the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which, among other things, required Apple to allow broader compatibility between its platforms and third-party services.
Microsoft requested that Apple introduce a feature allowing users to copy text or other supported content on iPhones and paste it directly on Windows PCs and vice versa. The Redmond firm also asked that the functionality work seamlessly in the background, in contrast with how non-Apple services normally interact with the clipboard.
Currently, users can paste only into third-party apps running in the foreground, and only after manually granting clipboard access for each copy-and-paste action. Under Apple's proposed solution, a paired device such as a Windows PC might be able to access an Apple device's pasteboard indefinitely after showing users a one-time consent pop-up.
However, Cupertino claims that implementing the functionality would be a significant undertaking and would likely take more than a year. The company estimates that development might finish by late 2027, followed by a developer beta, so a public release before 2028 is unlikely. Furthermore, the request applies to EU countries, so Apple is under no obligation to implement the feature globally.
The latest EU crackdowns will force Google to expand access to third-party AI assistants on Android devices and require watermarks on AI-generated content. Some hardware manufacturers, such as Logitech and Nintendo, are already complying in advance by shipping devices with removable batteries, but these devices will be available only in Europe.
Soon, Roblox and ChatGPT might also need to comply with the DMA's new rules. Since the EU is now considering whether the services are popular enough to act as "gatekeepers," they may soon have to become more transparent regarding advertising and report suspected illegal content.