Apple today said that Meta has made 15 interoperability requests under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Union, which is more than any other company.
In a statement provided to Reuters, Apple said that Meta is asking for changes that could compromise user security and privacy.
In many cases, Meta is seeking to alter functionality in a way that raises concerns about the privacy and security of users, and that appears to be completely unrelated to the actual use of Meta external devices, such as Meta smart glasses and Meta Quest.
If Apple were to have to grant all of these requests, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could enable Meta to read on a user's device all of their messages and emails, see every phone call they make or receive, track every app that they use, scan all of their photos, look at their files and calendar events, log all of their passwords, and more.
Under the terms of the DMA, which affects iOS and iPadOS, Apple is required to allow app developers to submit interoperability requests for hardware and software. Apple assesses all requests to determine whether they fall into the appropriate article of the DMA, and if so, Apple will design a solution for effective interoperability. Apple warns that the integrity of iOS and iPadOS are "important considerations" and that it may not be feasible for the company to design an effective interoperability solution.
In response to Apple's comments on Meta's requests, Meta said the following: "What Apple is actually saying is they don’t believe in interoperability. Every time Apple is called out for its anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality."
Apple's complaint about Meta comes as the European Union has shared preliminary findings on proposed measures that Apple should implement for improved interoperability. The European Commission says that Apple needs to give developers a better overview of the iOS components that provide functionalities reserved to Apple, plus Apple is required to design a better process that makes it easier to submit interoperability requests. Apple must also adhere to stricter timelines and avoid delays providing feedback on requested features.
The European Commission is now consulting interested third parties on whether its preliminary findings are sufficient to make Apple's request-based process effective. The EC says that the measures could be adjusted based on feedback from Apple and from third parties.
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