Apple warns EU could lose access to products under Digital Markets Act

Company says act is damaging user experience

Apple has called on the European Commission to repeal or radically amend its flagship Digital Markets Act (DMA), warning that the rules could prevent the company from shipping certain products and services to the EU.

In a submission to the Commission’s review of the three-year-old legislation, the iPhone maker said the act is damaging the user experience, exposing customers to security and privacy risks, and undermining the way Apple’s ecosystem works.

The DMA, designed to curb the dominance of so-called “gatekeeper” platforms, requires interoperability between devices and services. Apple argued this has already forced delays to features such as live translation via AirPods and iPhone screen mirroring on laptops, as the company is required to ensure compatibility with non-Apple products.

“The DMA means the list of delayed features in the EU will probably get longer, and our EU users’ experience on Apple products will fall further behind,” Apple said, adding that rivals such as Samsung are not subject to the same rules despite being the EU’s biggest smartphone supplier.

Apple claimed the interoperability obligations create privacy risks, citing its decision not to release live translation in Europe because allowing third-party headphones access to voice data could compromise conversations. It also suggested that under today’s framework, the Apple Watch, first launched a decade ago, might never have been released in the EU.

The company further warned that DMA provisions on app distribution have opened iOS devices to pornography apps via third-party marketplaces, software Apple has historically banned from its App Store due to child safety concerns.

Apple’s ongoing clashes with Brussels

The move marks the latest escalation in Apple’s ongoing clashes with Brussels. Earlier this year, the company appealed a €500 million fine for allegedly blocking developers from steering users to cheaper deals outside its App Store.

The row has also drawn political attention in the US. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs against countries introducing legislation targeting American tech firms, accusing the EU of unfairly disadvantaging US companies while “giving a complete pass” to Chinese rivals.

Apple said that instead of driving innovation, the DMA enables successful firms to “twist the law to suit their own agendas, to collect more data from EU citizens, or to get Apple’s technology for free”.

EU digital affairs spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the EU has no intention of watering down the Act. “Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application,” he said.