- The EU could force Apple to allow Android phones to use AirDrop and other exclusive features
- New proposals under the Digital Markets Act also highlight AirPods and Apple Watch features
- Apple has responded citing privacy concerns
A new round of EU proposals have firmly suggested that Apple make its exclusive features available to other developers and phone makers.
Under the proposals, EU residents may not need to buy an iPhone 16 for themselves to use features like AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic audio switching.
Allowing other companies to use long-exclusive Apple features APIs would mark a significant step up in the EU’s ongoing efforts to loosen Apple’s control of the smartphone market in the region.
An API – Application Programming Interface – is a piece of software that allows two applications to communicate, forming the foundation for features like AirDrop. These exclusive elements of the Apple ecosystem have long been considered major perks of buying an iPhone.
The proposals are the latest suggestions made in relation to the Digital Markets Act, a piece of EU legislation that regulates the activity and competition of online storefronts and tech companies.
Apple has already responded with a paper titled “Interoperability December 2024”, which claims that “abuse” of the DMA could result in the loss of user privacy.
The paper says Meta has made 15 requests for wide-reaching access to Apple device technology, and suggests Apple would be unable to reject these should the latest round of DMA proposals be enforced.
As well as iPhone features, the latest round of suggestions focuses on the exclusive audio and notification features enabled on the Apple Watch and AirPods. The EU has requested that Apple allow third-party accessories the same notification systems as its own products.
As Android Authority reports, the EU has repeatedly demonstrated that it finds that Apple’s market dominance and tightly controlled ecosystem give the company an unfair advantage over the competition.
The suggestions do not seem to be immediately binding, but it is ostensibly within the EU’s purview to use the DMA to enforce them.
My analysis
Apple has previously been seemingly forced to make begrudging concessions under the DMA, such as switching to USB-C with the iPhone 15 and allowing sideloading of apps through unofficial channels – but API access feels like a step too far.
The DMA has been instrumental in puncturing the popular view of tech companies as invincible entities, and shown time and time again that even the top dogs can be compelled to change.
However, if the DMA exists to foster competition, it’s worth remembering that companies need something to compete with. Phones in particular have been on something of a performance plateau that’s only just coming to an end this year, so internal specs are rarely going to be enough to pull customers in.
Exclusive features, like AirDrop and AirPlay, give Apple something to offer. It’s great that Google is so open with Android – I make frequent use of all the interoperability features of the platform when switching between handsets for reviews – but I’m not convinced that this is a precedent Apple should be made to follow.
Furthermore, I’m inclined to believe Apple’s concern for user privacy. The company previously faced down the FBI in order to protect the integrity of its ecosystem, and I’m always pleasantly surprised by privacy features when using my iPad, MacBook, or on the rare occasions I use an iPhone.
Apple has received its fair share of criticism over the years, some earned, some not. But one thing the company has done is work hard to create a singular vision and sense of flow through its ecosystem. If the company is forced to offer its prized exclusive features publicly, I’ll wonder how long it’ll take before we see Android phones with Apple logos printed on the back.
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