Apple Delays Key Features Launch in EU Amid Regulatory Concerns
Summary:
Apple has decided to postpone the introduction of Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing in the European Union due to apprehensions about the Digital Markets Act's regulations. The tech giant fears these interoperability terms could risk users' privacy and data security. The EU has classified Apple and five other companies as "gatekeepers" with extensive reach in their specific markets. Violating DMA rules could lead to significant penalties for these firms. Apple currently faces an ongoing EU probe into its business practices.
Due to apprehensions about the regulations imposed by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple will delay the launch of Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing in the European Union, as indicated in multiple news reports. Apple Intelligence signifies the company's latest advancement in the field of artificial intelligence. An Apple representative defined Apple Intelligence as a combination of highly proficient large language and diffusion models, along with an 'on-device semantic index' that collaborates with apps to detect data and deliver it to models, as reported by CNBC. It impacts Siri voice assistant and several other features.
iPhone mirroring facilitates users to view and manipulate their iPhones via their Macs. SharePlay Screen Sharing permits FaceTime users to commandeer others' devices amidst a conversation. Apple's senior director of corporate communications, Fred Sainz, expressed concern to The Verge, stating that the DMA's interoperability stipulations could force the company to vitiate the integrity of their products, thereby posing a risk to user privacy and data security.
The EU has labeled Apple, along with five other companies namely Alphabet, Amazon, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft as "gatekeepers" due to their dominant positions in their respective markets. These gatekeeper corporations manage 22 "core platform services", according to EU legislators. The Digital Markets Act, which came into effect in May 2023, governs these gatekeepers.
The DMA regulations supervise interactions with third parties, users' power over their data and the data they create, and businesses' authority to authenticate ad hosting on their platforms, among other things. Violating these rules could result in penalties of up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue, with the possibility of rising to 20% for repeated violations. The EU is concurrently investigating Apple's business practices.
The EU, made up of 27 member states and home to 448.4 million people, is a significant market. Cointelegraph reached out to the Apple press department and Sainz for verification and further details, but their response is presently awaited.
Published At
6/22/2024 12:30:00 AM
Disclaimer: Algoine does not endorse any content or product on this page. Readers should conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the asset, company, or any information in this article and assume full responsibility for their decisions. This article should not be considered as investment advice. Our news is prepared with AI support.
Do you suspect this content may be misleading, incomplete, or inappropriate in any way, requiring modification or removal?
We appreciate your report.