Apple blames EU tech law for postponed features, app marketplace risks

Apple said on Wednesday that European Union users are experiencing delays in new features and facing increased privacy and security risks due to the bloc’s landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping regulation which aims to rein in the power of Big Tech firms.

The iPhone maker urged regulators to reassess how the law affects EU consumers who use its products, saying it will continue to work to deliver new features while meeting legal requirements.

The company said the law has forced it to postpone the rollout of several features in the EU, including iPhone Mirroring to Mac and Live Translation with AirPods, citing engineering challenges.

Apple, which sells millions of its devices and services in the region, added that location-based features in Maps were also postponed in the EU because DMA requires Apple to make certain features work with non-Apple products or third-party developers before releasing them.

The iPhone maker said it has not found a way to comply with its demands without compromising user data and that its proposed safeguards were rejected by the European Commission.

“It’s become clear that we can’t solve every problem the DMA creates,” Apple said.

“Over time, it’s become clear that the DMA isn’t helping markets. It’s making it harder to do business in Europe.”

The European Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Apple in June changed rules and fees in its App Store in the EU to comply with the bloc’s antitrust order.

The DMA, which came into force last year, requires large tech firms to open up their platforms to competitors.

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Apple said this has led to a “riskier, less intuitive” app experience for EU users, with sideloading and alternative marketplaces introducing threats such as scams, malware and pornography apps, that were previously banned on the App Store.

The Trump administration has consistently criticised the DMA, while the Commission firmly rebutted Trump’s statement.

Apple asked the EU to repeal or significantly scale back the regulation, Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. It did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.