Apple would ideally see the Digital Markets Act disappear today. According to Apple, the legislation is bad for consumers, although it primarily speaks from personal resentment.
In July, the European Commission opened a first public feedback round on the Digital Markets Act, the legislation aimed at combating Big Tech’s power grab in the IT sector. Until yesterday, interested parties, from individual citizens to large multinationals, could have their say. An invitation that Apple gladly accepted.
Apple has opposed the European legislation since day one, so it’s no surprise that the feedback was negative. The iPhone maker is even calling for the law to be abolished again. “The DMA should be repealed for a legislative instrument that is better suited to its intended purpose,” is Apple’s criticism.
Bad for Consumers, but Especially for Apple
According to Apple’s argument, the DMA is detrimental to the user experience of consumers in the European Union. Apple claims it regularly has to postpone or scrap features because it struggles to align them with the DMA rules. A well-known example was Apple Intelligence, which eventually appeared in the EU after a delay.
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“Despite our concerns about the DMA, our teams spend thousands of hours introducing new features in the European Union while complying with legal requirements. But it has become clear that we cannot solve all the problems caused by the DMA,” Apple further asserts.
Apple and the European Union have clashed over the DMA since the legislation came into force. The opening up of iOS to alternative app stores also did not go down well in Cupertino. Apple was one of the first companies to be issued a fine for violating the DMA rules: it will have to pay 500 million euros.
Not Optional
In its criticism of the DMA, Apple sees itself backed by Washington. Trump and his administration consider any form of legislation as harassment against American companies, and threaten import tariffs for compliance. It seems unlikely that the European Commission will quickly yield to the pressure. The Commission says it has observed a ‘predominantly positive’ effect so far.
“It is normal for companies to sometimes need more time to make their products comply with the rules. Compliance with the DMA is not optional, but an obligation,” a spokesperson for the Commission told the Financial Times.