Skip to main content

Apple warns of more feature delays in Europe

Apple says it’s having to delay bringing some product features to Europe because it’s struggling to make them compliant with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). In a statement published on Wednesday, Apple said that DMA rules have created “more complexity and more risks for our EU users,” blaming the obligation to open Apple features to third-party devices for the delays.

Features impacted include AI-powered Live Translation for AirPods, iPhone Mirroring, and  Visited Places and Preferred Routes on Apple Maps. While interoperability requirements under the DMA specify that companies make proprietary apps and device features available on third-party hardware, Apple says it hasn’t found a way to make these features available on non-Apple devices without compromising users’ data security and privacy.

DMA requirements to make it easier to pair, transfer data, and display notifications between iPhones and third-party devices are bearing some fruit, however. The latest iOS 26.1 beta suggests that a “notification forwarding” feature will allow iPhone notifications to surface on non-Apple devices, such as smartwatch competitors to the Apple Watch. The beta also includes references to a feature that will make it easier to pair iPhones with third-party accessories.

Despite its ongoing opposition to the DMA, Apple insists that it’s “spending thousands of hours” to be compliant with the law’s requirements, and that the “list of delayed features in the EU will probably get longer” due to these impediments. The EU has given Apple until the end of this year to open up most of these features if it makes them available to European users, or risk facing additional fines under the DMA. The company was hit with a $580 million penalty in April after the App Store violated anti-steering requirements under the rulebook. 

The iPhone maker has called for the DMA regulation to be repealed “while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place,” according to a feedback submission seen by the Financial Times

While Apple’s concerns around user security may hold merit, the company is also motivated to see the DMA scrapped to prevent the legislation from tearing down the walled garden that incentivizes consumers to stay in its product ecosystem. Denying Europeans access to features over DMA compliance concerns may help Apple keep its user base on-side in its argument with the EU.



from The Verge https://ift.tt/XshpCg3

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Pandora Stories lets artists add commentary to their own playlists

Pandora launched Stories today, a tool that lets artists and creators add voice commentary to their own playlists. The Stories feature merges podcasts with music playlists, and is meant for artists to add context to an album, or for podcasters to experiment with new storytelling formats. The feature is part of Pandora AMP, the streaming service’s free Artist Marketing Platform that helps creators promote their work. To kick off the launch, Pandora’s prepared some Stories by artists like John Legend and Daddy Yankee, who tell listeners their personal stories interspersed between their own songs. There’s also a Stories playlist called Love Songs That Aren’t Really Love Songs , which includes commentary on individual songs like a podcast... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2Xz1oNc

Nomad’s 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger and the Sonos One are down to their best prices

Nomad’s minimalist Base One Max 3-in-1 is on sale for $95. | Image: Nomad Fancy phone chargers are nice, but they’re often too expensive to justify the cost. Nomad’s Base One Max 3-in-1 is one of those rare unicorns that delivers a lot of value for your money, however, thus making it worth the splurge. After all, the device can simultaneously charge a MagSafe-compatible phone, your Apple Watch, and a pair of AirPods (or another Qi-compatible device) — that’s something not even Nomad’s forthcoming Qi2 charger can do. What’s even better is that Nomad is currently selling the hefty, MagSafe-certified charger in both black and silver for its Black Friday price of $95 ($55 off). Designed with metal and glass, Nomad’s minimalist slab will look slick on any desk or bedside table. It’s also powerful, delivering up to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/25YJfqR

Asus’ foldable laptop goes on sale for $3,499.99

The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, more or less fully unfolded.  | Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge Asus’ first foray into the world of folding-screen laptops, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, is now on sale for $3,499.99, the company has announced . Asus says the laptop is being sold in the US via B&H and Newegg though as of this writing only Newegg seems to have the laptop available for immediate shipping, with B&H listing it as “coming soon.” That aligns with the Q4 target date given to us when we reviewed the laptop in August . At $3,499.99, Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is eye-wateringly expensive, but my colleague Monica Chin points out that it’s the first such device that starts to deliver on the promise of this new form factor. You can either use the laptop with its 17.3-inch 2560 x 1920 screen fully unfolded and paired with a bluetooth keyboard... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/P4q7sej