European Union

With the release of iOS 18.1 beta 2, Apple has apparently opened up access to Apple Intelligence for English speakers located in the European Union, something that was not possible in previous versions. One of the reasons Apple limited region access to Apple Intelligence was that it only supports US English. Another reason Apple Intelligence was previously not available in the EU was because ...

Despite pushback from Apple, the European Parliament in January voted overwhelmingly for new rules to establish a common charging standard for mobile device makers across the European Union. This article explores what form the EU laws might ultimately take and how they could affect Apple device users in Europe and elsewhere. What Exactly is the EU Calling For? To reduce cost, electronic...

The simplified smartphone switching Apple and Google are adopting is an example of how the Digital Markets Act (DMA) benefits users and developers, the European Commission said today. Apple and Google are making it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, adding an option to transfer data from another smartphone during the device setup process. Apple and Google are...

The EU has begun looking into whether Apple Maps and Apple Ads should be designated as "gatekeepers" and subject to greater regulation (via Reuters). The App Store, iOS, and Safari were classified as gatekeepers two years ago, triggering strict requirements in the EU such as support for alternative app marketplaces and third-party payment options. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), any...

The European Commission (EC) today announced a new digital package that relaxes some of the rules implemented with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that has protected European consumers since 2018. Part of the change to the GDPR includes a modernization of cookie rules that should result in fewer pop-up cookie agreements on websites. The EC says that users will be able to...

WhatsApp is close to rolling out third-party chat support across the European Union, as part its compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA). WhatsApp parent company Meta is required by the DMA to make its messaging platform interoperable with other third-party services, and Meta says the first apps that WhatsApp will support are BirdyChat and Haiket, following successful testing...

Apple today shared a study commissioned from Analysis Group [PDF] that looks at App Store pricing changes before and after reduced fees took effect in the EU in March 2024 under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The report shows that the DMA has not resulted in lower prices for consumers. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that the DMA has reduced privacy and security without the outcomes...

Apple recently sent a letter to the European Commission (EC), criticizing recent inquiries into whether the App Store complies with the Digital Services Act (DSA) amid the separate Digital Markets Act requirements that Apple has been required to put in place. The Commission asked Apple for information on how it locates fraudulent content, what it does to reduce the risk of financial scams in ...

Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...

Apple spent more money lobbying EU officials in 2025 than in any previous year, according to a new dataset from Corporate Europe Observatory, which reports that Apple now allocates roughly €7 million ($8.2 million) annually to influence European regulation. Apple is identified by the report as one of the ten largest tech-sector lobby spenders in Europe. Those ten companies together account ...

Apple today opened its broadest legal attack yet on the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), telling the EU's second-highest court that the new competition regime unlawfully compels changes to the iPhone, the App Store, and iMessage (via Bloomberg). Apple's arguments were delivered before the General Court in Luxembourg. The company claims that the DMA, which came into effect in 2023, ...

Apple's new M5 MacBook Pro will ship without a power adapter in the box in the United Kingdom and European Union, prompting online confusion that the change was mandated by EU law — a claim that is incorrect. Apple quietly updated its online store following the launch of the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ to note that customers in the UK and EU who purchase the new 14-inch model will no longer receive a...

Apple is nearing a settlement with the European Commission to resolve multiple antitrust investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), in a move aimed at averting escalating daily fines that could reach up to 5% of its average global revenue, the Financial Times reports. Both Apple and Meta are reportedly in the final stages of talks with European regulators following a combined €700 ...

Epic Games has claimed that Apple's revised installation process for third-party app marketplaces in the EU demonstrates that the company was deliberately undermining competition through "deceptive design." In a blog post published Wednesday, the Fortnite developer revealed that user drop-offs during Epic Games Store installations plummeted from 65% to 25% after Apple streamlined the process ...

The European Commission has no plans to scrap the Digital Markets Act despite Apple's complaints that the law causes a worse experience for European iPhone owners. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an EU law that regulates how tech companies like Apple operate. It includes rules meant to prevent companies from unfairly favoring their own services, blocking competitors, and limiting user choice. ...

Apple is urging European regulators to scrap the Digital Markets Act (DMA), claiming it has created security vulnerabilities and damaged the user experience, not to mention caused at least three of its product features to be postponed or delayed indefinitely. In a statement posted to its website, Apple says EU users now face exposure to malware through mandatory third-party app stores, with...

The European Union is planning to query major tech companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Booking.com on whether they are doing enough to prevent online financial fraud, reports Financial Times. European Commission tech leader Henna Virkkunen told Financial Times that the EC will ask the three tech companies for information on their efforts to block online scams that aim to steal money ...

Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout. Apple says on its feature availability webpage that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" won't be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU....

Apple on Monday said it will issue a software update for iPhone 12 users throughout the European Union to reduce radiation levels, bringing them in line with the bloc's health standards. The update is equivalent to a September 2023 change Apple made in France to bring the iPhone 12 into compliance with a testing protocol used by the country's regulators. France ordered Apple to halt...

Apple is no longer allowing torrenting app iTorrent to be distributed via the AltStore Pal alternative app marketplace in the European Union, according to TorrentFreak. Torrent apps like iTorrent and qBitControl have been available for download from AltStore PAL since July of last year. Torrent apps are not allowed in the official App Store, but Apple has fewer controls over the alternative...

The European Union is set to accept the June updates that Apple made to its App Store to comply with the Digital Markets Act, reports Reuters. As a result, Apple will not face daily fines for non-compliance. Apple changed its ‌App Store‌ fee setup and removed its anti-steering rules to meet the demands of the European Commission. Developers can now direct customers to purchase options...

The European Commission appears to have reversed its plans to impose a significant digital tax on large technology companies, including Apple. The change was confirmed in a draft document circulated within the European Commission late last week that was obtained by Politico. The document outlines potential revenue sources for the EU's next seven-year budget, covering the period beginning in...