The European Commission has firmly rejected Apple’s demand to scrap the Digital Markets Act (DMA), saying it will not back down from the landmark legislation despite the company’s repeated complaints that the law is damaging the user experience for iPhone owners in Europe.
Brussels refuses to bend
The DMA, introduced in March 2024, sets strict rules for how major tech platforms operate in the EU. It prevents them from blocking competitors, favoring their own services, or limiting consumer choice. Apple argues that these regulations are slowing innovation and exposing users to unnecessary risks.
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In a formal submission during the EU’s ongoing consultation, Apple said the DMA should be repealed and replaced with “a more appropriate fit-for-purpose legislative instrument.” The company also suggested that enforcement “should be undertaken by an independent European agency” instead of the European Commission.
But the Commission dismissed that idea outright. “We have absolutely no intention of abandoning the law,” said Thomas Regnier, the EU’s digital affairs spokesperson. “Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application.”
Security and privacy claims rejected
Apple claims the DMA forces it to weaken its products’ privacy protections and could expose users to “malware, fraud, and invasions of privacy.” The company has also blamed the law for delays in rolling out new features like iPhone Mirroring, Live Translation for AirPods, and privacy-focused tools in Apple Maps.
However, Brussels strongly disagrees with that interpretation. “Nothing in the DMA requires companies to lower their privacy standards or their security standards,” Regnier told reporters. The Commission maintains that the law is intended to level the playing field and improve consumer choice, not reduce product safety.
Delayed features and growing frustration
Apple says its engineers need more time to make certain technologies compatible with third-party hardware, as required by the DMA. For example, Live Translation, which lets users hear conversations translated through AirPods, launched this month in the United States but remains unavailable in Europe.
“It’s become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU,” the company wrote in a blog post. “It’s exposing them to new risks and disrupting the simple, seamless way their Apple products work together.”
A spokesperson for Apple told POLITICO that the company wants “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.”
“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.”
Brussels sees things differently. Regulators say delays are “normal” as companies adapt to new legal requirements. They argue the law ultimately benefits consumers by increasing competition and reducing monopolistic control in digital markets.
Ongoing regulatory battles
The latest clash is part of a broader struggle between Apple and EU authorities. In April, Brussels fined Apple 500 million euros for restricting developers from telling users about cheaper purchasing options outside the App Store. Apple appealed the decision and, in June, filed a legal challenge against the DMA’s interoperability rules, which require its products to work with third-party accessories like headphones and smartwatches.
Regnier stressed that enforcement remains firmly in the Commission’s hands. “It is up to us to decide how we want to enforce the DMA and who is enforcing the DMA,” he said.
Political pressure rising
The fight over the DMA is unfolding against a tense political backdrop. US President Donald Trump has criticized EU regulations targeting American tech giants, while Apple CEO Tim Cook has strengthened ties with Washington as scrutiny in Europe intensifies.
Despite that pressure, Brussels says the DMA is here to stay. “The goal is to make the digital economy fairer and more open,” Regnier said. “We will continue to enforce the law to ensure that happens.”
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