Many tech companies are not happy with the European Union"s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA), which places certain restrictions on how vendors operate their software services and platforms. Recently, Apple was fined €500 million for not properly supporting third-party app stores, while Meta was fined €200 million for not providing an ad-supported option of Facebook that gets rid of targeted and personalized advertising, something the firm described as "unlawful". Now, Apple has issued a detailed statement criticizing the DMA.
Apple claims that the DMA mandates it to get certain features working on non-Apple products, but since this involves a hefty amount of engineering work, it has had to delay certain capabilities just for Apple customers in the EU. Examples of such features are Live Translation, iPhone Mirroring, and Maps options like Visited Places and Preferred Routes. The Cupertino firm says that it has not found reliable ways to offer interoperability with other platforms, noting that:
We’ve suggested changes to these features that would protect our users’ data, but so far, the European Commission has rejected our proposals. And according to the European Commission, under the DMA, it’s illegal for us to share these features with Apple users until we bring them to other companies’ products. If we shared them any sooner, we’d be fined and potentially forced to stop shipping our products in the EU.
We want our users in Europe to enjoy the same innovations at the same time as everyone else, and we’re fighting to make that possible — even when the DMA slows us down. But the DMA means the list of delayed features in the EU will probably get longer. And our EU users’ experience on Apple products will fall further behind.
Feature parity isn"t the only problem, though. Apple states that opening up the App Store to third-party storefronts as mandated by the DMA has revealed other risks, such as a less intuitive experience, exposure to potentially harmful apps, and risky transactions through non-Apple payment platforms.
Moreover, the DMA lets other companies file requests to access Apple"s user data and "core technologies", with Cupertino being forced to comply with almost every request. This creates security and privacy threats for its user base. Examples of data requested include the complete content of your notifications and the full history of Wi-Fi networks that you have joined.
Although the DMA was supposed to make the market more open, Apple claims that it has led to fewer choices for customers, less differentiation in vendor services, and unfair competition. An interesting comment in the statement highlights how the App Store changes make iOS look more like Android, which is transitively reducing choices for EU customers.
Apple doesn"t think too highly of the DMA, as it says that the interpretation of the law is very dynamic and is being twisted by companies to meet their agenda and get access to user data unfairly. It has become evident that the tech giant can"t meet every requirement set by the DMA, which is why it is urging regulators to have a look at the law while also requesting its customers to raise their voices in support.