Apple Intelligence software features, which were actively discussed at WWDC 2024, will not be distributed in the European Union this year, according to Bloomberg, due to the specifics of local antitrust legislation. As a result, hundreds of millions of users in Europe will lose access to the latest features in Apple iOS 18.
Apple’s Official Statement and Concerns
In a statement issued by Apple, it was noted that this year the company will not be able to bring new functions like Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing to the European Union market. The local Digital Services Act (DMA) forces Apple to sacrifice the security of its products and services, according to the company’s experts. “We are concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA may force us to sacrifice the integrity of our products in ways that compromise the security and privacy of user data,” Apple said in the statement.
The European Digital Services Act sets out a long list of requirements for market-dominant technology platforms. It prohibits creating preferences for a company’s own offerings over competitors, using the same sets of personal data between different services of the same company, and using information collected about third companies to compete with them. Additionally, users should be able to download apps from competing platforms. Increased regulatory attention is being paid to the activities of Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Meta Platforms, in addition to two other companies. The European Commission insists that Apple can provide its services in the jurisdiction of this bloc only in accordance with the requirements of local legislation.
Impact on European Users and Future Updates
These conditions mean that 27 EU countries will, for now, deprive their citizens of access to the latest artificial intelligence functions of Apple Intelligence. As part of the release of iOS 18, these features should be officially presented to the rest of the world in the fall of this year. However, not all Apple customers will be able to use them at first, as a hardware-compatible device and proficiency in American English are required to work with voice requests.
European users will also be deprived, for now, of the SharePlay feature, which allows remote access to control your iPad or iPhone, adds NIX Solutions. In combination with SharePlay Screen Sharing, it makes it possible to mirror the iPhone desktop on a Mac computer and completely control your smartphone from your computer.
Apple is also encountering similar issues in China, where it will need to find a replacement for the OpenAI chatbot, which is prohibited for use in China. Preliminary data suggests that Apple is negotiating on this topic with Baidu and Alibaba. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.