Shortly after the EU passed a final approval to a law that would force Apple to adopt USB-C for iPhones and other products, more trouble could be entering the technology giant’s domain. The EU passed a Digital Markets Act (DMA) earlier this year, with the new legislation going into effect at the start of November that would compel Apple to open up its App Store to allow other stores and sideloading on the iPhone and iPad. The DMA would be viewed by the authorities to make the digital sector much fairer and break the monopoly of massive tech firms.
iMessage Interoperability Was Also Said to Be a Part of the Rules That the EU Intends to Enforce
Gerard de Graaf, an EU official who helped pass the DMA early this year, became the director of a new EU office in San Francisco last month, which was made specifically to explain what this new law means for behemoths like Apple. According to WIRED, de Graaf strongly believes the iPhone should support sideloading.
“We expect the consequences to be significant. If you have an iPhone, you should be able to download apps not just from the App Store but from other app stores or from the internet.”
Fortunately, companies like Apple will not be forced by the EU to make the changes immediately, though there will be tiers, and depending on those tiers, certain regulations will be in place that firms will need to abide by. Given that Apple is often viewed by others as a company that follows monopolistic business practices and stifling competition, stringent rules might be placed on it, allowing for an open playing field.
One of the more recent additions to the DMA is the requirement to make messaging, voice-calling, and video-calling services like iMessage and Meta apps interoperable. Knowing Apple, it will likely challenge these decisions for as long as it possibly can. The EU is expected to announce tiers for each company next spring, and a six-month deadline will be provided to act according to those regulations.
Apple may also be prevented from giving preference to its own App Store and services, which may affect the revenue generated from its digital business. We will see how this plays out, as there is plenty of time for the law to come into effect.
