Apple has publicly urged European Union regulators to revise or even repeal portions of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), arguing that the legislation is causing delays in rolling out new features, introducing security risks via mandatory third-party marketplaces, and undermining its ability to differentiate products across regions. Reuters reports that Apple claims the DMA “hampers innovation, delays feature rollouts, and increases privacy and security risks” for European users.
Sources: AP News, Financial Times
Key Takeaways
– Apple argues that the DMA’s interoperability and data-access mandates have forced delays in new features and threaten privacy/security for EU users.
– The EU Commission has stood firm, rejecting Apple’s requests and maintaining that the DMA is essential to break the dominance of large tech platforms.
– Apple was already penalized under the DMA earlier this year (with a €500 million fine), and its current posture suggests it sees continued regulatory pressure as risking its future business model in Europe.
In-Depth
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) was adopted by the European Union in 2022 and generally became enforceable in 2023. It’s intended to rein in the power of dominant “gatekeeper” digital platforms by prescribing rules on interoperability, data sharing, and opening up app ecosystems. Apple, among several major tech firms designated as gatekeepers, now finds itself in a tight spot. The company contends that many of the DMA’s requirements conflict with how it engineers its ecosystem, especially in areas deemed core to user privacy and security.
In its official statement, Apple describes a mounting list of features it has had to delay in Europe. Live Translation for AirPods is one example: Apple says it designed the system to process on device to protect users’ data, but making it work on non-Apple hardware adds engineering complexity and risk. iPhone mirroring (e.g. to a Mac) is another casualty, since extending it to non-Apple devices could expose sensitive data flows, Apple argues. The company cites map features (such as “Visited Places” and “Preferred Routes”) as also postponed, because the DMA mandates that features must be interoperable with third-party developers before release.
Apple contends that the DMA’s push for sideloading and alternative app markets inherently weakens security. By forcing it to allow third-party app stores and payment systems, the company claims EU users will face a more fragmented app environment, increased scam/malware risk, and difficulties tracing responsibility when problems emerge. The requirement to grant access to certain data or functionalities for interoperability is another flashpoint—Apple warns that such requests may demand notification contents, WiFi network history, and other sensitive data whose exposure could undermine privacy guarantees.
The European Commission, however, has rebuffed Apple’s pleas. Regulators maintain that the DMA is designed to foster competition, reduce platform lock-in, and empower consumers with more choice. From the EU’s standpoint, constraints on Apple’s walled garden are not overreach but necessary correction to market concentration. The company’s €500 million fine (for steering developers away from outside payment links) earlier this year underscores that the EU is serious about enforcement.
Apple’s recent move to press for revision or repeal is a bold escalation. It signals increasing strain in the relationship between U.S. tech firms and European regulators. For Apple, the stakes are high: if the DMA’s regime becomes too onerous, it could constrain how it designs and distributes features in one of its largest markets. Conversely, for EU regulators, backing down on enforcement could appear to weaken the regulatory backbone of digital competition. The struggle now is whether Apple can persuade Brussels to recalibrate the balance between innovation, user security, and market openness—or whether the DMA becomes the new de facto framework shaping how major platforms operate in Europe.