Over the years, Apple has enjoyed success with its walled ecosystem, but the European Commission (EC) has a crowbar to pry it open at every opportunity using the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Launched in November 2023, the DMA is aimed at giving EU smartphone users in the 27 member states more flexibility and making things more competitive.
Now, the European Commission (EC) is currently investigating several major tech companies to determine how they comply with its new Digital Market Law (DMA). And to no one’s surprise, Apple is one of them.
WhatsApp users in Europe may lose their accounts if they do not agree to the new rules
And the new policies are not limited to Europe.
While the Commission has previously forced Apple to make changes such as opening up the App Store to third-party platforms in Europe, it has now opened proceedings against Apple over its compliance with some other DMA obligations. One of the big things he’s looking at is how the company allows end users to easily uninstall any software app on iOS. It also looks at changing the default settings on iOS and eventually prompting users with selection screens that allow them to choose an alternative default browser service or search engine on their iPhones.
Of these requirements, the center of attention is the ability for end users to easily uninstall any software application on iOS – especially the Photos application. This was pointed out by Margrethe Vestager, head of the EU competition initiative, pointing to the Apple Photos application. According to Vestager, Apple must allow third-party applications to serve as system-level image library applications in order to be DMA compliant.
iOS developers distribute their apps directly to consumers in Europe
Consumers in Europe will now be able to download iPhone apps directly from software developers’ websites for the first time.
Currently, other third-party photo apps don’t have the privilege of competing with the native Photos app on Apple devices like they do on Android devices. But this change could come to Apple’s EU devices in the coming weeks if the EU asks the tech giant to make the Photos app removable for users in the region.
This fate may not only be the case for the Apple Photos app, but could also extend to other apps in the Apple ecosystem. If successful, Apple users in the EU can choose which apps they want to use on their device, rather than relying solely on the native apps that come pre-installed on Apple devices. Third-party apps could replace the functionality of this app that Apple users are already so familiar with.
Of course, that would not be easy.
While this change may offer users more freedom to choose the apps they want, it presents challenges. Many native Apple apps are deeply integrated into iOS, making them difficult to remove. The Photos app, for example, serves as both a gallery app and a file picker, complicating the process of replacing it with third-party alternatives.
Security concerns also arise from the possibility of third-party applications completely taking over basic functions. Apple has prided itself on its security measures, but giving up control over key apps could be a risk.
Apple confirms that iPhones will get USB-C charging to comply with EU laws
Earlier this month, the European Parliament voted to support EU legislation to standardize mobile chargers on USB Type-C in a bid to encourage charger reuse and reduce e-waste in the EU. Apple is one of the major manufacturers that would be greatly affected
Most of these changes are not in favor of Apple’s business style, which has been in place for years, but it turns out that the EU can force Apple to do something that it considers important for the region – the example of USB-C.
The idea is to promote competition within the digital market and offer EU iPhone users more freedom in how they interact with their devices.