Apple has announced that they won’t release a number of features including Apple Intelligence in Europe for 2024. This decision is due to “regulatory uncertainties” stemming from the Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust regulation.
To elaborate, Apple stated that Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and enhancements to SharePlay won’t be available to EU customers.
Apple believes that the DMA requirements could force them to compromise the integrity of their products. Their concerns lie mostly in how it could risk user privacy and data security.
The DMA was passed in 2023, rooted from concerns raised from a handful of major technology companies. This consists of Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance.
It was presumed that these companies acted as “gatekeepers”, preventing smaller firms from competing. Further, the DMA requires that basic functionalities work across competing devices and ecosystems.
The interoperability requirements apply to iPhones and iPads. However, Macs are affected by the DMA because of the new iPhone Mirroring feature. This allows users to replicate the screen of iPhones to be displayed on Mac screens.
Apple said that they will work with the European Union “in an attempt to find a solution enabling them to deliver these features without compromising their safety”.
Losing access to Apple’s new AI product could be disappointing to consumers. Apple Intelligence can proofread writing, and can rewrite it in a context-aware friendly or professional tone.
Interested readers can read what else Apple Intelligence offers under our recently published article here.
Apple could lose a lot of sales from this development. In 2023, their net sales were worth USD 94.3 billion in Europe. This is a quarter of their worldwide net sales.
In addition, Apple Intelligence won’t be available in Greater China either. This area accounts for USD 72.6 billion of Apple’s 2023 sales.
