European Union

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...

Following intense criticism, Apple today walked back its plan to disable Home Screen web apps in the European Union starting with iOS 17.4. Following the release of the second beta version of iOS 17.4, it emerged that Apple had restricted the functionality of iOS web apps in the EU. Web apps could no longer launch from the ‌Home Screen‌ in their own top-level window that takes up the entire...

The European Commission is considering investigating Apple's move to disable Home Screen web apps in the EU, the Financial Times reports. Following the release of the second beta version of iOS 17.4, it emerged that Apple had restricted the functionality of iOS web apps in the EU. Web apps can no longer launch from the ‌Home Screen‌ in their own top-level window that takes up the entire...

Apple in January seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 software updates to developers, and the betas revealed a panoply of changes that will impact users in the European Union in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple implemented several major changes to the way the App Store and apps operate in the EU in order to comply with the DMA. These changes...

Apple is set to be hit with a €500 million ($538 million) fine for allegedly breaking EU law over access to music streaming services, according to a Financial Times report. The focus of the European Commission's investigation has been Apple's policy of preventing streaming music apps from informing iPhone and iPad users within the app that lower subscription prices are available when signing ...

With the second beta of iOS 17.4, Apple disabled much of the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in the European Union. There was some speculation that it could be a temporary change or a bug related to some of the updates to the app ecosystem in Europe, but Apple has confirmed that PWAs were intentionally removed and won't be returning. In an update on the Developer website (via 9to...

Apple's iMessage will avoid regulation requiring interoperability with other messaging platforms under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), following the conclusion of an investigation by the regulator (via Bloomberg). The probe concluded that the iMessage platform and Microsoft's Bing do not hold a dominant enough position to be brought under the DMA's strict rules for services provided by...

Apple has seemingly restricted the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in the latest beta of iOS 17.4, specifically targeting users within the European Union. The move appears to undermine the role of PWAs as viable alternatives to native apps in iOS. As first flagged by security researcher Tommy Mysk and Open Web Advocacy, the second beta release of iOS 17.4 seems to introduce...

As part of its compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation, WhatsApp is putting the final touches to introducing platform interoperability with other encrypted messaging apps. In September, EU lawmakers designated WhatsApp parent company Meta as one of six so-called "gatekeepers," along with Google, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, and Microsoft, giving them six months to begin...

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized Apple's compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulation, which forces Apple to let third-party developers create alternative App Stores and use their own payment systems, amongst other things. Speaking to investors on Thursday during Meta's Q4 earnings call, Zuckerberg called Apple's new rules "so onerous" that he would not be surprised ...

Spotify CEO Daniel EK today wrote a blog post criticizing the app ecosystem changes that Apple implemented in the European Union under the Digital Markets Act, accusing Apple of putting forward "a new plan that is a complete and total farce" under "the false pretense of compliance and concessions." Ek says that Apple doesn't "think the rules apply to them," and he believes that most app...

Apple announced an overwhelming number of changes to the app ecosystem in the European Union yesterday, and with the flood of information, there may have been a few details that were overlooked by developers and device users. We've rounded up a handful of lesser-known details that offer some clarification on what these updates mean for the iPhone and other products. The iPad and Other...

Apps that are distributed through alternative app stores in EU countries will need to submit to a notarization process that's similar to the notarization process for Mac apps. According to Apple, Notarization applies to all apps, and it is a process focused on privacy, security, and maintaining device integrity. Apple is aiming to ensure that apps do not have viruses, malware, or other...

Apple today completely overhauled its app system, introducing changes that allow developers to distribute their apps through alternative app stores and use alternative methods of payment in iOS 17.4. Unfortunately, these changes are limited to countries that are in the European Union, and they won't be implemented worldwide. There are 27 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,...

Developers who offer the ability to sideload their apps in the European Union will still face restrictions and fees imposed by Apple, The Wall Street Journal reports. App sideloading capabilities will allow users to download apps from outside the App Store for the first time, but only in the EU. The change is necessitated by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to rein in the...

Spotify has shared its vision for bringing in-app payments back to its iOS app, once Apple is forced to comply with Europe's looming digital market regulations. The streaming service shared mockups of what it expects its app to look like, including information about pricing, subscription offers and in-app audiobook purchases. Spotify has not allowed customers to sign up for a Spotify Premium ...

Apple has proposed opening its NFC payment technology to third-party developers in Europe, allowing direct rivals to Apple Pay to operate on the iPhone for the first time. Historically, the use of Apple's NFC chip in iPhones and Apple Watches for payments has been exclusively utilized by ‌Apple Pay‌, limiting the ability of banks and other financial services to offer their own contactless...

Apple is preparing to split the App Store "in two" in the coming weeks ahead of European Union requirements that will force Apple to enable app sideloading in the region, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple is gearing up to make changes to the ‌App Store‌ in the EU to comply with the region's impending Digital...

Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday met the European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, at Apple Park amid a series of disputes between the organizations. The meeting focused on European competition policy and digital regulation. On X (formerly Twitter), Vestager explained that she stressed Apple's impending obligation to allow users to install third-party app stores and sideload apps...

Apple CEO Tim Cook will meet the European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, next week amid a series of disputes with the organization (via Reuters). Vestager is also set to meet the chief executives of Alphabet, Broadcom, and Nvidia, as well as senior executives from OpenAI. The meetings will take place in San Francisco and Palo Alto on Thursday and Friday next week, and will...

Google, Meta, Qualcomm, Nothing, Lenovo, Opera and several other tech companies have announced a collaborative effort to push for "open digital ecosystems" in what appears to be a pointed move against Apple (via Reuters). The group, calling itself the Coalition for Open Digital Ecosystems (CODE), seeks to encourage more open platforms and systems in Europe. Other members include Motorola,...