The European Commission now wants Apple to elaborate on two issues regarding how the manufacturer of the iPhone and iPad should meet the interoperability requirements of the Digital Market Act (DMA). For this purpose, two so-called specificity procedures were initiated. In particular, it is about the functions that are required so that other devices can connect to Apple’s device – and how developers’ requests to Apple should proceed in this regard.
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The DMA requires Apple to offer third-party developers and companies free interoperability in iOS and iPadOS with hardware and software features specified under the DMA. To ensure that so-called gatekeepers actually comply with the DMA, the law authorizes the Commission to determine on its own initiative the measures that can be imposed on the company to effectively comply with the DMA.
What the EU Commission wants to achieve
Interoperability concerns, for example, smartwatches, headphones or virtual reality headsets. According to EU rules, these must be given the same opportunities as Apple’s own products (AirPods, Vision Pro, Apple Watch) to connect to iPhones and iPads or their operating systems. The Commission is particularly concerned As per the announcement For example, functions such as notifications, device pairing, and connectivity. In these cases, Apple devices have an edge over competing products – at least according to the current user experience.
To ensure that interoperability requests from developers are processed by Apple in a “transparent, timely and fair manner”, according to the EU, the Commission’s second procedure focuses on this point. The goal is to provide all developers with an effective and predictable path to interoperability.
The procedures are expected to last up to 6 months
Each of the two processes must last a maximum of six months. The results must then be reported to Apple and published. The Commission nevertheless reserves the right to impose fines for violations of the DMA.
The DMA regulates major digital platforms. Apple’s iPhone operating system iOS must be DMA compliant from March 7, 2024. iPadOS, which was classified later, must comply with EU rules by October 30, 2024.
This is what Apple says about the EU announcement
When asked by Heise Online, Apple pointed out that the company has developed more than 250,000 APIs that enable developers to access the operating system and Apple’s functions “while ensuring users’ data protection and security.” To comply with the DMA, opportunities have also been created for apps in the EU to use additional interoperability with iOS and iPad while protecting users. “Weakening the protections we have built over time would put European consumers at risk and give malicious actors more opportunities to access devices and data. We will continue to work constructively with the European Commission to find a way forward that protects our EU users while also making the regulation clearer,” Apple said.
From Apple’s understanding, the interoperability requests are very specific. Unlike the EU Commission, the company now sees itself in a good position to work with developers to find DMA-compliant solutions. However, unrestricted interoperability is viewed critically at Apple, as the example of the worldwide computer failure caused by CrowdStrike showed what it could lead to. At the time, Microsoft justified the extent of the disruption to Windows PCs by saying that since an agreement with the EU in 2009, it could no longer protect its operating system from threats in the same way that Apple could protect its operating system.
(MKI)
