Apple has initiated a legal challenge against a European Union directive that requires the company to open its closed ecosystem to competitors like Meta and Google’s Alphabet. The tech giant argues that the EU’s demands are unreasonable and hinder innovation.
In March this year, the European Commission outlined how Apple must adhere to the Digital Markets Act to curb the influence of major tech firms. In theory, such interoperability would allow for a more seamless integration of third-party products with Apple’s ecosystem, potentially opening new avenues for third parties to innovate on Apple’s platforms. This could, in turn, result in a broader selection of products for European consumers compatible with Apple devices.
Apple claims that the interoperability requirements create “a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation.”
“At Apple, we design our technology to work seamlessly together, so it can deliver the unique experience our users love and expect from our products,” said Apple in a statement. “The EU’s interoperability requirements threaten that foundation, while creating a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation. These requirements will also hand data-hungry companies’ sensitive information, which poses massive privacy and security risks to our EU users.”
EC details compliance steps for Apple’s interoperability obligations
The legal proceedings behind Apple’s appeal are expected to extend over several years, but the tech giant will need to comply with the EU order in the meantime.
The Commission has mandated that Apple provide rival manufacturers of smartphones, headphones, and virtual reality headsets access to its technology and mobile operating system. This access is intended to facilitate connectivity with Apple’s iPhones and iPad tablets. A detailed process and timeline have been established for the company to address interoperability requests from app developers.
In a similar development, Apple filed an appeal against a UK government directive mandating the creation of a mechanism for law enforcement to access encrypted cloud data in March 2025. The legal challenge was presented to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a specialised court that handles complaints against UK intelligence and security agencies. In April, a UK tribunal decided that the legal dispute between the UK government and Apple over data privacy would be conducted publicly. The case revolves around the government’s request to access data safeguarded by Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) system, a request made by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act.
Read more: Apple challenges UK order to provide access to encrypted cloud data
