Europe demands Apple open up iOS for better accessory compatibility

Posted:
in iOS edited September 20

The European Commission has begun to set out legal requirements for Apple to open up all of iOS and iPadOS to third parties, on top of allowing rival App Stores and payment systems.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission



As one European Union investigation has found that Apple is in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Commission is ordering the company to comply with the next stage of the law. It has formally announced what it calls two specification proceedings, which will lay out the rules and the timetable by which Apple must allow third-party access to all of its iPhone hardware and software features.

"Today is the first time we use specification proceedings under the DMA to guide Apple towards effective compliance with its interoperability obligations through constructive dialogue," said Margrethe Vestager, the EU's Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy in a statement. "We are focused on ensuring fair and open digital markets."

"Effective interoperability, for example with smartphones and their operating systems, plays an important role in this," she continued. "This process will provide clarity for developers, third parties and Apple."

The first of the two proceedings concerns "iOS connectivity features and functionalities, predominantly used for and by connected devices." The European Commission will specify how Apple will enable connectivity and device pairing for any manufacturer of any devices, such as smartwatches, and headphones.

Then the second proceeding concerns when Apple will do this. Specifically, once the procedures are in place for a firm to request such access, Apple will be required to make "the request process transparent, timely, and fair."

"We will continue our dialogue with Apple and consult third parties to ensure that the proposed measures work in practice and meet the needs of businesses," concluded Vestager.

Apple has not responded publicly, but has many times stated that it is continuously working with the EU and the Commission over complying with the DMA. The European Commission's statement says that it "will conclude the proceedings within 6 months from their opening."

Vestager has been leading the EU's efforts to control Big Tech firms, and specifically Apple, for a decade. She will, however, be out of her role by the time these proceedings are concluded.

App Stores, Apple Intelligence, and the EU



This move about forcing Apple to allow rivals access to its iOS functionality is the latest step in a decade-long journey that has seen both sides protesting unusually strongly.

Vestager, for instance, has slammed Apple's decision to withhold Apple Intelligence from the EU. "I think that is the most sort of stunning, open declaration that they know 100% that this is another way of disabling competition, where they have a stronghold already," she said.

Early on in the dispute, Tim Cook went so far as to ascribing the EU's various moves to anti-US sentiment. Regarding the now seemingly settled issue over Apple and Ireland's financial arrangements, Cook said the EU's demand for a then $13-billion tax demand was "total political crap."

Then the Digital Markets Act came into law in 2022, and an immediate requirement was for Apple to allow third-party alternatives to the App Store. Since then, the company has been forced to open access to the iPhone's NFC feature to allow rivals to Apple Wallet.

Apple has complied with the DMA -- although rivals like Epic Games vehemently and repeatedly dispute this. The new ruling is not an addition to the EU's demands, however, rather a continuation of the aims it originally set out for Apple.

Protections at risk



In a statement received by AppleInsider, Apple is still insistent that it is in the right. The statement reads:

At Apple, we're proud of the fact that we've built over 250,000 APIs that allow developers to build apps that access our operating system and functionalities in a way that ensures users' privacy and security.

To comply with the DMA, we've also created ways for apps in the European Union to request additional interoperability with iOS and iPadOS while protecting our users.

Undermining the protections we've built over time would put European consumers at risk, giving bad actors more ways to access their devices and data. We will continue to work constructively with the European Commission on a path forward that both protects our EU users and clarifies the regulation.


Read on AppleInsider
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 47
    #EwEU

     Being one who believes a strong central government is a preferred path to a great nation of equals, the European Union Commission is way out of line and they take the DMA way too seriously, no thanks.
    badmonkjas99ssfe11dewmetdknoxkiehtanbohlerstrongyAlex1Nbloggerblog
  • Reply 2 of 47
    PemaPema Posts: 118member
    Verstager is total moron. There is ZERO chance of Apple ever releasing its propriety OS for either the iPhone or iPad to 3rd party vendors. If this idiot had even a smidgen of a brain between her ears she would understand that Apple's vaunted security is totally reliant on having complete control of its OS. 
    This stupid person believes that because Apple gave in on App Store access to Spotify and other vendors that now they are going to surrender OS access to 3rd party vendors. 
    How stupid is this person? 
    There is a better chance of Apple offering the Vision Pro for Free with the purchase of a pair of Airpods. 
    She is comparing a 3rd party of piece of junk like Android that is as secure as a public toilet to Apple's iOS. Of course Android is free for all to use and embed in their phones ranging from a piece of garbage of phone that you can purchase at a 7/11 to a high end phone like Pixel. 
    But that is not the same as Apple. Apple has been perfecting its OS, whether it is on the iPhone, iPad or Mac for the last twenty years. 
    There is not the single chance of Apple surrendering there proprietary OS to enable 3rd party access. 
    I am guessing that if push came to shove Apple will simply stop selling their phone and iPads in the Europe. Then see who misses out. 
    This Verstager has no common sense. Does not understand how OS works and is on the verge of retiring. 
    Well, from my part, Good Bye Verstager and Good Riddance. 

    badmonkjas99ssfe11danoxjibtdknoxkiehtanMacProstrongyAlex1N
  • Reply 3 of 47
    I don’t understand how withholding features can be anti-competitive. IMHO that would be more competitive as others would fill the void that Apple has created. 
    jas99ssfe11JFC_PAjibtdknoxstrongyAlex1NbloggerblogKalMaddawilliamlondon
  • Reply 4 of 47
    I guess Apple need to stop selling in the EU.

    Let EU citizens import the devices from the UK if they want them. 
    ssfe11danoxvztrv1jas99dewmejibtdknoxbohlerMacPropulseimages
  • Reply 5 of 47
    Feel sorry for EU. Vestsger regulating has set them back years. I’m sure they are glad she”ll be gone soon by voting her out. Really firing her lol. She doesn’t even understand what she’s regulating either just attention grabbing is all. Anyhow EU she’s gone soon so hang in there!
    strongyAlex1NKalMaddawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 47
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,605member
    Pema said:
    Verstager is total moron. There is ZERO chance of Apple ever releasing its propriety OS for either the iPhone or iPad to 3rd party vendors. 

    I would agree, but that's not what's being asked of them. As I'm reading it, Apple/Google will have to allow 3rd party vendors to call on/use/access the hardware on an iPhone or Android phone, to facilitate connections.  This is not about installing iOS on some third-party product. 
    edited September 19 ctt_zhCrossPlatformFroggerCheeseFreezechasmAlex1N
  • Reply 7 of 47
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,294member
    It’s over in the EU for Apple. They’re asking that they change their entire way of designing their hardware and software, Apple Intelligence will never be sold in the EU, not officially.
    edited September 19 jas99bohlerstrongyAlex1NKalMaddawatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 47
    I would tell the EU to shove it. Double the price on any iPhone that is sent to the EU. Better yet, require any iPhone be imported from the UK as is without the EU restrictions or force the EU to change its policy before any iPhones are shipped to the EU. I don’t think that it would be long before European citizens would remove EU officials from office. 
    ssfe11jas99bohlerstrongyaderutterKalMaddawatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 47
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,294member
    I don’t understand how withholding features can be anti-competitive. IMHO that would be more competitive as others would fill the void that Apple has created. 
    Propping up companies like Spotify isn’t anti-competitive if small European two-man sound software companies can use the new API’s that Apple designed for the AirPod 2 why can’t a big 4000 person company named Spotify support the same new API’s?
    edited September 19 KalMaddawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 47
    Marthe Verger- the bureaucrat who thinks she’s Bill Gates….
    jas99bohlerstrongyKalMaddawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 47
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,465member
    Interoperability between iOS and third-party devices would be a significant improvement, for example, for headphones makers.  There are superior headphones on the market that fall short only because they lack seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem.  Also, this could result in improving interoperability with Windows devices.  It will be interesting to see how this develops.
    gatorguychasmAlex1N
  • Reply 12 of 47
    nubusnubus Posts: 578member
    Apple is blocking easy pairing with earphones to boost AirPods sales. But iPhone is too big a platform for doing this. Apple can't add features to iPhone that provide competitive advantages in other areas. And wouldn't it be nice if all earphones could use the same API for easy pairing allowing us more choices?

    Device pairing, notifications, connectivity... why would we as users be against competition and choice?
    muthuk_vanalingamchasmAlex1Nwilliamlondon
  • Reply 13 of 47
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 657member
    Would be nice to see both Google and Apple pull out of the EU and watch their citizens revolt. I believe Google pulling out would affect Samsung and other Android vendors because Google controls the core of the operating system and therefore controls licensing.
    ssfe11jas99tdknoxbohlerstrongyKalMaddawatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 47
    Geez….I don’t even hear anything like this from USSR or China.
    I never use any Chinese brand mobile phone, but those market players work really really hard to fight Apple, to survive, just like Huawei, Xiaomi..etc.
    How about Samsung from Korea and Sony from Japan?
    EU has a lot of good technology company, why not to fight for the fair play? EU can even set some rules for years to fence the market and raise a new platform or product.
    The EU market is fair enough for competition, people vote by their money, and Apple wins.
    For such a rules, it looks like: You are too strong, I can’t let you use your legs, then your arms, now you have to let me use your technic and your weapon.

    Pathetic…


    ssfe11danoxjas99KalMaddawatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 47
    charlesncharlesn Posts: 1,079member
    New York Times headline from Sept 9th: 

    Europe’s ‘Reason for Being’ Is at Risk as Competitiveness Wanes, Report Warns


    So the European answer to its inability to compete on the world stage is to force innovative companies like Apple to hand over the family jewels to be shared with Europe's laggard corporations that now rely on being gifted IP that they didn't and couldn't develop on their own. I know it would be a huge financial hit that a public company would be loathe to take, but I really wish Apple would say, "Eff Off!" to Vestager and pull out of the European market completely. No Apple products whatsoever. Honestly, as long as she keeps getting away with forcing Apple and other companies to give away their IP, this is just going to continue and get worse. This is a perfect example of that--"Well, since I got you to open up your App Store, now I want your iOS and iPadOS, too." 
    edited September 19 jas99tdknoxstrongyKalMaddawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 47
    Vestager has been voted out or better yet fired. It won’t be to long for the EU citizens to recover from her clueless political grandstanding nonsense. Hang in there!
    edited September 19 jas99strongyKalMaddawilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 47
    I’m curious - is Android pairing with different brand devices any easier than it is for iOS with non Apple devices ?

    nubus said:
    Apple is blocking easy pairing with earphones to boost AirPods sales. But iPhone is too big a platform for doing this. Apple can't add features to iPhone that provide competitive advantages in other areas. And wouldn't it be nice if all earphones could use the same API for easy pairing allowing us more choices?

    Device pairing, notifications, connectivity... why would we as users be against competition and choice?

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 47
    Apple appears to have already anticipated this with the fast pairing API that is included in iOS 18.

    https://www.techradar.com/phones/apple-is-making-it-much-easier-to-pair-devices-with-your-iphone-in-ios-18
    chasmwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 47
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,680member
    nubus said:
    Apple is blocking easy pairing with earphones to boost AirPods sales. But iPhone is too big a platform for doing this. Apple can't add features to iPhone that provide competitive advantages in other areas. And wouldn't it be nice if all earphones could use the same API for easy pairing allowing us more choices?

    Device pairing, notifications, connectivity... why would we as users be against competition and choice?
    Apple is in a competitive marketplace. Apple is not a public service company trying to make it easier for Apple's competitors to take them down. Do you think BMW, Mercedes, or VW would blithely open up all of the private interfaces that they have created in their products to differentiate themselves from their competition? I don't think so. I strongly believe that the EU would never even consider do anything that would put any of the EU-based companies within their purview in a disadvantaged state against foreign competition from the US, China, or other industrialized countries outside of the EU.

    In my opinion everything the EU is doing is purely protectionism cloaked under the guise of "consumer choice." Consumers already have choices and are never in a state where they must buy a single Apple product. They have many other choices available to them. The reality is that Apple builds superior products and has profited immensely on their innovation, determinism, consumer appeal, and continued success. They have always played to win and have won. The EU does not think they have a worthy competitor that can take on Apple so they are trying to cut Apple down to size to give the companies they support a better chance. Can't beat them in the market so take them to court and punish them for their success. Whatever happened to competitive spirit in the EU?
    tdknoxihatescreennamesbohlerMacProforegoneconclusionstrongyKalMaddaraymondaiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 47
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,754member
    nubus said:
    Apple is blocking easy pairing with earphones to boost AirPods sales. But iPhone is too big a platform for doing this. Apple can't add features to iPhone that provide competitive advantages in other areas. And wouldn't it be nice if all earphones could use the same API for easy pairing allowing us more choices?

    Device pairing, notifications, connectivity... why would we as users be against competition and choice?
    Because we, as consumers, don't see a lot of the shady business models underlying modern technology development. Technology being given away free or sold at a loss so that it can be used to obtain all sorts of information about our activities. For example, car entertainment systems.

    Apple has put a target on their back by trying to defend consumer privacy in the face of all these companies who profit from information, as well as the governments who hang on to power with it. Not surprising they're spending massive amounts of money on social media campaigns and government lobbying to try and stop Apple.
    dewmemeterestnzwatto_cobra
Sign In or Register to comment.