Withholding Apple Intelligence from EU a 'stunning declaration' of anticompetitive behavior
Why is Apple excluding EU countries from its roll-out?
Apple is excluding EU countries from its roll-out of Apple Intelligence features due to "regulatory uncertainties" caused by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The company is concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force them to compromise the integrity of their products in ways that risk user privacy and data security.
How did Margrethe Vestager describe Apple's decision?
Margrethe Vestager, the European Union's competition chief, described Apple's decision to withhold the rollout of Apple Intelligence features in the EU as a "stunning open declaration" of anticompetitive behavior36. She found it interesting that Apple chose to deploy AI in areas where it wasn't obliged to enable competition, suggesting the company knows this action would disable competition where it already has a stronghold.
What are the new features Apple plans to withhold?
Apple plans to withhold several features in the EU, including Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing, due to regulatory concerns over the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA). These features are expected to be released in other regions this year. Apple cited concerns that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force them to compromise the integrity of their products, potentially risking user privacy and data security.