Apple blames EU’s Digital Markets Act for feature delays

The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), introduced three years ago to curb anti-competitive practices by major tech firms, is once again drawing criticism from Apple. The iPhone maker has openly stated that the law is behind delays in rolling out specific features to customers in the EU, arguing that the regulation is ultimately creating “a worse experience” for its users.

According to Apple, compliance with the DMA — which mandates interoperability with third-party devices and applications — is complicating its ability to launch new features. Among the delayed rollouts are the live translation tool for AirPods, iPhone mirroring on Macs, and new Maps functions such as visited places and preferred routes. The company warned that this list “will probably get longer.”

Apple contends that the DMAs’ requirements are at odds with its core focus on user privacy. Since the law obliges companies to open their ecosystems to competitors, Apple says its teams are struggling to do so without exposing sensitive customer data.

“We’ve suggested changes to these features that would protect our users’ data, but so far, the European Commission has rejected our proposals. And under the DMA, it’s illegal for us to release these features only to Apple users until we extend them to other companies’ products. Doing so earlier could lead to heavy fines or even block us from selling devices in the EU,” the company explained in a blog post.

This statement follows a $550 million fine imposed on Apple earlier this year for violating the DMA by forcing app developers to use its in-app payment system. Apple has since filed an appeal against that decision.

The company also reiterated its concerns about app distribution outside the App Store, warning that third-party app stores and alternative payment systems, as required under the DMA, increase the risks of fraud, scams, and malware.

“It’s been more than a year since the DMA came into effect. Over that time, it’s become clear that it’s exposing our users to new risks and disrupting the seamless way Apple products are designed to work together. As new technologies emerge, EU customers will only continue to fall behind compared to the rest of the world,” the company added.

The European Commission, however, dismissed Apple’s arguments. EC spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in a press briefing that Apple has fought the DMA “every step of the way” since its introduction.

“Nothing in the DMA requires companies to reduce their security or privacy standards. The goal is simply to give users more choice, open the European market, and allow fair competition,” Regnier stated.

He also noted that the Commission had offered Apple guidance on compliance:

“We even provided specifications on how interoperability could be achieved. Yet two months later, Apple came back asking us to throw everything out.”

The clash highlights the ongoing standoff between Apple and EU regulators, with both sides standing firm on their positions.