The European Commission has instructed Apple to improve the way iOS works with third-party devices such as smartwatches and headphones.
On Tuesday, the Commission adopted two legally binding decisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European competition law that regulates the activities of large digital providers. The first decision will give app developers and device makers more access to key iPhone features to make it easier for third-party gadgets to pair, transfer data, or display notifications. The second solution will require Apple to be more transparent about compatibility issues, provide developers with access to technical documentation on how to make their services work with the iPhone and iPad, and provide a “more predictable schedule” for reviewing compatibility requests.
These decisions are separate from the non-compliance proceedings that Europe has opened against Apple – unlike such cases, specification proceedings such as this one help to determine how companies should fulfill their obligations under the DMA, rather than penalize them for violations. The EU sent draft recommendations to Apple in December after initiating the proceedings several months earlier.
Tuesday’s decisions “mark the first time that the European Commission has proposed concrete measures for a service provider to comply with the Digital Markets Act,” EU Executive Vice President for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera said in a statement. Apple can still appeal these decisions in court. “Today’s rulings bog us down in red tape, slowing Apple’s ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies that don’t have to play by the same rules,” Apple spokeswoman Marni Goldberg said in a statement. “This is bad for our products and for our European users. We will continue to work with the European Commission to help them understand our concerns on behalf of our users.”
“With these decisions, we are simply following the law and providing regulatory certainty for both Apple and developers,” Ribera said. “Effective interoperability for third-party devices is an important step toward opening up the Apple ecosystem. This will lead to better choices for consumers in the rapidly growing market for innovative connected devices.”
