EU Regulators Told to Expect Limited iOS 26 Features Due to Digital Markets Act
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to promote consumer interests, but its implementation has led to Apple delaying the release of certain iOS 26 features in the region. EU Mac users are still missing out on iPhone mirroring, and they will not be getting Live Activities on Mac either. Apple has informed EU regulators that there are more iOS 26 features that EU users will not have access to, at least not as soon as users in other regions. The only feature mentioned by name is Visited Places, but according to the Wall Street Journal, Apple's Vice President of Apple Legal, Kyle Andeer, has revealed that there are more features that will be delayed or withheld from EU users. Speaking at an EU workshop, Andeer stated, "We've already had to make the decision to delay the release of products and features, we announced this month for our EU customers." Andeer also emphasized that the changes forced upon Apple by the EU create "real privacy, security, and safety risks to our users." This is a stance Apple has maintained throughout the DMA's implementation. Notably, while the EU has designated several companies as gatekeepers requiring regulation, Apple is the only one being required to share its technologies with rivals. Apple has pointed to Meta, Facebook's parent company, as an example of the problems caused by the DMA. Apple claims that Meta is attempting to exploit the DMA's requirements, seeking access to Apple's technology and data without justification. This is particularly concerning given Meta's history of security breaches, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the storage of 600 million Facebook and Instagram passwords in plain text in 2024. Recently, Meta has faced another privacy debacle, attempting to gain access to users' entire photo libraries. Apple argues that the EU should reconsider its stance, given the differences in trustworthiness among tech companies. Andeer's comments suggest that Apple will continue to push back against the DMA's requirements, citing concerns about user privacy, security, and safety.
