Brussels Warns Apple Of Antitrust Fines Over iOS Restrictions For Developers

The European Commission warned on Thursday that Apple must adhere to its interoperability obligations under the Digital Markets Act by allowing developers access to its iOS and iPadOS platforms or face a fresh round of antitrust penalties or fines early next year.

“Under the DMA, Apple must provide free and effective interoperability to third-party developers and businesses with hardware and software features controlled by Apple’s operating systems, iOS and iPadOS, which are designated under the DMA,” the Commission wrote in a statement. 

Antitrust regulators in Brussels stated two specification proceedings to assist Apple in complying with the DMA… 

The specification proceedings formalise the Commission’s regulatory dialogue with Apple on certain specific areas of Apple’s compliance with Article 6(7) DMA. Pursuant to Article 8(2) of the DMA, the Commission may, on its own initiative, adopt a decision specifying the measures a gatekeeper has to implement to ensure effective compliance with substantive DMA obligations, such as the interoperability obligation of Article 6(7) DMA.

• The first proceeding focuses on several iOS connectivity features and functionalities, predominantly used for and by connected devices. Connected devices are a varied, large and commercially important group of products, including smartwatches, headphones and virtual reality headsets. Companies offering these products depend on effective interoperability with smartphones and their operating systems, such as iOS. The Commission intends to specify how Apple will provide effective interoperability with functionalities such as notifications, device pairing and connectivity.

• The second proceeding focuses on the process Apple has set up to address interoperability requests submitted by developers and third parties for iOS and IPadOS. It is crucial that the request process is transparent, timely, and fair so that all developers have an effective and predictable path to interoperability and are enabled to innovate.

“Today is the first time we use specification proceedings under the DMA to guide Apple towards effective compliance with its interoperability obligations,” EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement, adding, “Effective interoperability, for example with smartphones and their operating systems, plays an important role in this.”

Bloomberg noted, “While the announcement is a step shy of being a formal investigation, the EU aims to compel Apple to re-engineer its services to allow rival companies to access the iPhone’s and iPad operating systems.” 

Apple has six months to comply and open its iOS and iPadOS to third-party developers or face, as the Commission pointed out, the “possibility to impose fines or periodic penalty payments.” 

The EU has cracked down on Apple in recent months.

Here are the latest developments:

• Apple Hit With New Warning Over Alleged Breaches Of EU’s Digital Markets Act

• Apple Revises EU App Store After ‘Anti-Steering’ Probe

• “Big Win”: EU’s Vestager Celebrates As Apple Loses €13bn Ireland Tax Bill Case

This comes a little more than a week after Apple launched the iPhone 16, which has new AI capabilities, including Apple Intelligence.