After forcing the Cupertino company to abandon the Lightning connector for USB-C in the new iPhones and other substantial measures, such as the possibility of installing alternative application stores to the official one and apps different from those of the ecosystem, Brussels adds new requirements.
The Commission explains that iOS must be “more open”, allowing true interoperability of the system to make it more compatible with smartwatchesheadphones, headsets and other competitive devices. And this time the consequences could be much more important than a simple change in its loading design.
The European demand
The European Commission published a document detailing how Apple will have to open up its operating system to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These are not mere guidelines: the series of annexes defines the precise requirements with specific deadlines. The message is clear: Apple complies or risks fines of up to 10% of global turnover.
In essence, the EU is asking Apple to allow third-party developers to access the same features of hardware and software of iOS that the company reserves for itself. Currently, thanks to a series of reserved system calls and hardware own, iPhones can connect with other accessories made by Apple more easily than those of the competition. But it also includes access to functions such as the NFC chip for payments, integration with Apple’s virtual assistant Siri, and even control of system notifications. A radical change for a company used to having total control of its ecosystem.
Apple’s response was immediate. On its website, the company published a document in which it warns of the risks to the privacy and security of users. And exposes the case of Meta, which submitted 15 requests for access to sensitive iOS functionssuch as the ability to read messages, monitor calls and access users’ photos and passwords. “This is information that not even the company has access to in order to offer greater protection,” writes Apple. The concern is not just theoretical: Meta has already been fined several times for privacy violations, and the Big Tech of Cupertino fears that the openness of iOS could expose users to similar risks.
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The US Department of Justice wants to ask a federal judge to order the Alphabet-owned company to get rid of the flagship browser.
A clash of maximums
The confrontation between both visions could not be more complex. On the one hand, the EU considers the forced opening of mobile operating systems as a necessity to guarantee competition and innovation. And on the other hand, Apple considers user privacy as a fundamental right that must be protected even at the cost of restricting access to third parties.
What is at stake is not simply about the greater or lesser compatibility of a pair of Bluetooth headphones, nor is it just about potentially multimillion-dollar fines for Apple. What is disputed is the very future of mobile computing; If the European approach is successful, it could completely redefine the relationship between technology platforms and developers, setting a global precedent.
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What does the DMA contemplate?
The Law requires the gatekeepers (gatekeepers of access), like Apple, that offer a transparent, timely and fair interoperability process. Failure to comply could result in penalties of up to 10% of the company’s global turnover. Specifically, it stipulates strict deadlines: 20 business days to evaluate interoperability requests, 30 days to present an implementation plan and no more than 90 days to put together simpler solutions. For complex requests, Apple will have up to 12 months.
The Californian company will have to create a conciliation system to manage disagreements with developers, publish semiannual progress reports and maintain a public system for tracking received requests. A rather lengthy bureaucratic process for a company used to moving with the speed typical of Silicon Valley, and above all, which obtained 101.3 billion dollars from the European market in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
The precedent of the USB-C connector is not only symbolic, but shows that the EU can force even technology giants to comply with its rules. Now, with sufficient legal weapons supporting the DMA, Europe will seek to get Apple not just to change a charging port, but to completely rethink the security model of the iOS ecosystem.
The question is: will Tim Cook’s company end up giving in as it did with USB-C, or will it fight to the last consequences? There is no immediate answer because these types of confrontations occur in international politics and then in the courts, between resources and appeals. We will know the answer in the coming months, although one thing is certain: the result will define the future not only of iOS, but also of Apple, at least in Europe.
Article originally published in WIRED Italy. Adapted by Alondra Flores.
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