Photo credit: Apple

Apple has formally communicated to its users in Europe that the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) is leading to significant problems, including postponed new features and a heightened risk to user privacy and security.

In a recent statement, the tech giant asserted that the DMA, a 2022 regulation intended to promote competition among major tech companies, is having unintended and negative consequences for customers who use Apple products across the EU.

Innovation Slowdown Over Compliance

Apple claims several of its most anticipated features are being delayed in Europe. The core issue, according to the company, is that the DMA requires certain new functionalities to be made interoperable with non-Apple products and apps before they can be released to its own user base. This requirement, they argue, demands complex and risky engineering work that pushes back launch timelines.

Specific features cited as delayed include Live Translation with AirPods, which uses Apple Intelligence, and iPhone Mirroring, which allows users to interact with their iPhone from a Mac. Location-based features in Maps, such as Visited Places, are also on hold. Apple states it has been unable to find a secure way to share these capabilities with third parties without exposing

sensitive user data, and proposals for safeguards have been rejected by the European Commission. The company warns that the list of delayed features in the EU will likely grow, causing the European user experience to fall further behind the rest of the world.

A Less Secure App Environment

The DMA mandates that Apple allow sideloading, alternative app marketplaces, and alternative payment systems on its devices. Apple maintains this shift is creating a "riskier, less intuitive app experience." They caution that the change exposes EU users to greater threats of scams, malware disguised as games, and even apps containing pornography and illegal gambling that were previously barred from the controlled App Store environment. This fragmentation, they believe, makes it harder for users to trust where an app comes from and what protections apply.

New Privacy Threats

Perhaps the most serious concern raised is the threat to core privacy. Apple states the DMA allows other companies to request access to user data and core technologies, and Apple is often required to comply. They highlight requests for highly sensitive information, including the complete content of user notifications (messages, emails, and medical alerts) and the full history of Wi-Fi networks a user has joined. Apple argues this level of access puts users at a much higher risk of surveillance and tracking, though their security concerns have so far been dismissed by the European Commission.

DMA's Competitive Impact Questioned

Finally, Apple argues the law is not achieving its pro-competition goals. They claim the law is reducing consumer choice by forcing features to work with rival products, thereby making options more similar. They also suggest the law unfairly singles out Apple, while competitors like Samsung, the market leader in Europe, are left free from the same stringent requirements.

Apple has urged regulators to take a closer look at the law’s impact on EU citizens, stating that after more than a year, it is clear the DMA is leading to a worse, less seamless, and more complex experience for European Apple users.