The EU welcomes “the change in progress” after Apple’s announcements to adapt its iPhones to the new European rules (AFP/Archives/Nicholas Kamm)
European Commissioner Thierry Breton welcomed “the change in progress” on Friday after Apple’s announcements to adapt its iPhones to the new European rules, while warning that the EU would not hesitate to take action in the event of an infringement.
Apple announced Thursday major changes to the iOS operating system that equips its famous mobile phones in order to comply with new regulations on digital markets (Digital Markets Act, DMA).
These changes were made reluctantly, under pressure from Brussels, the Cupertino group having always displayed its hostility to the DMA.
The European Commission, which now plays the role of digital policeman in the EU, will have to assess their compliance with the new legislation which will apply at the beginning of March.
“Change is already underway,” welcomed Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, questioned by AFP about the Californian group’s announcements.
“More choice for consumers and more opportunities for small, innovative technology companies. The DMA will open the doors of the internet to competition so that digital markets are fair and open,” he stressed.
“From March 7, we will evaluate the companies’ proposals, with the opinion of third parties. If the solutions proposed are not good enough, we will not hesitate to take strong measures,” he warned.
Concretely, the Apple brand announced that it would allow alternative application stores on its phones from March which will compete with its App Store.
It will also open up to contactless payment services other than its Apple Pay solution.
The choice of an alternative browser to Safari will also be made easier by the automatic opening of a menu offering competing solutions whereas until now you had to go to the settings to make such a modification.
These developments are accompanied by new pricing conditions for developers.
– Apple denounces “risks” –
“The changes comply with the requirements of the European Union Digital Markets Act, while helping to protect EU users from the inevitable increased privacy and security threats that this regulation brings,” says Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice president of marketing, quoted in a press release.
“Even with these guarantees in place, many risks remain,” says the Cupertino group, whose security is one of the main marketing arguments and which has never hidden its hostility to the DMA. Apple also believes that the new rules will result in a “less intuitive user experience”.
“It’s the same story as the common charger: they make a big deal, but eventually they comply. If they’re concerned about safety, that means they haven’t done their job well and that the Commission can pursue them,” a senior European official told AFP on Friday.
A universal USB-C charging port on an iPhone 15, September 22, 2023 in Los Angeles (AFP/Archives/Patrick T. Fallon)
Apple announced in September that it would integrate the universal charging port known as “USB-C” into its new iPhone range, in order to comply a year in advance with European legislation that it has long fought.
The apple brand has built its success on a closed ecosystem of which it controls all the parameters, a philosophy in direct opposition to European competition rules. She has always defended it by citing security requirements and increased comfort for its users.
The regulation on digital markets will apply to Apple but also to five other digital giants – Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Microsoft and the Chinese ByteDance (TikTok).
This legislation introduces stricter rules to curb anti-competitive practices in the EU. Companies in violation will face fines of up to 20% of their global turnover in the event of repeat offenses, or even dismantling measures in the most serious cases.
At the initiative of the text, commissioners Thierry Breton and Margrethe Vestager hope to encourage the emergence of European start-ups and improve the services offered to consumers.
The DMA will make it possible to act upstream against abuse of a dominant position. The traditional competition rules in force in the EU had failed to bring the sector’s behemoths into line, dragging the Commission into endless legal proceedings.
© 2024 AFP
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