Latest news with #Andeer
Tom's Guide
02-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Apple just delivered a smackdown to the EU over iOS 26 rollout — they won't be getting new features
The ongoing disagreement between Apple and regulators in Europe shows no signs of letting up. The bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA) entered into force in 2022 and almost immediately started dismantling Apple's walled garden in the region. In order to comply with the legislation, Apple has made numerous concessions — such as allowing third-party app stores onto the iPhone and letting other payment providers use the device's tap-to-pay feature. And, of course, switching from Lightning to USB-C. Throughout the process, Apple has complained of the security implications of the DMA and now the company has confirmed it will be withholding certain iOS 26 features for European users. This isn't unique to the iPhone, either. Mac users in Europe can't use iPhone mirroring and won't be getting Live Activities. But when Apple's new software drops in the fall, Europeans will be getting a watered-down version. When Apple's new software drops in the fall, Europeans will be getting a watered-down version. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (via AppleInsider), Apple's vice president of Legal, Kyle Andeer, stated: "We've already had to make the decision to delay the release of products and features, we announced this month for our EU customers." The exact list of features hasn't been revealed, but Visited Places is believed to be among them. For those of us in the U.S. or the U.K., it's interesting to watch the situation play out. The EU is a gigantic customer base for Apple which is, itself, one of the most powerful corporations in the world. It's like the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And the ultimate question is whether or not EU iPhone users are coming out of this better or worse? They're given more freedom in how they use iPhones but Apple itself is depriving them of first-party features. Whether withholding iOS 26 features is comes from Apple's desire to protect the users or its own technological IP remains to be seen. But Andeer added the EU's decision has created "real privacy, security [and] safety risks to our users." The fallout from Europe has not gone unnoticed in the U.S. Kat Cammack, a representative from Florida's 3rd district, has proposed the "App Store Freedom Act" which sounds a lot like the DMA. According to the district, the purpose of the bill is to "promote competition and protect consumers and developers" by "prohibiting certain anticompetitive practices by dominant app store operators." While it doesn't specifically mention Apple, it does say it will target "large app store operators" — those with over 100 million users. That obviously affects Google as much as it does Apple. Although given the fact you can already side-load third-party app stores on Android, it's not as concerning as it is for anyone sitting in a Cupertino boardroom. Do you think losing first-party iPhone features is a worthwhile trade-off for having open access to the hardware? Let us know in the comments section below.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Apple delays some key iOS 26 features for EU users: This is the reason
1 2 Apple said that it will postpone the rollout of several new features for users in the European Union (EU), citing challenges posed by the region's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The company's legal team confirmed that tools such as a 'visited places' service, designed to track user locations, will not be available in the EU with the upcoming iOS 26 software update. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the decision stems from Apple's ongoing efforts to comply with the DMA, an EU law aimed at curbing the market dominance of large tech companies and fostering a more competitive online environment for smaller developers. What Apple has to say on delayed iOS 26 features in EU Kyle Andeer, Apple's Vice President of Legal said that the company is concerned that EU compelling it to open its ecosystem to competitors could compromise user security. 'We've already had to make the decision to delay the release of products and features, we announced this month for our EU customers," Andeer was quoted as saying during a workshop with EU officials and developers in Brussels. Apple further noted that it's still evaluating which features might be affected in the EU and is actively seeking solutions to deliver them as quickly as possible. Andeer also broadly criticised the DMA, stating that the changes necessitated by the regulations since last year "create real privacy, security, safety risks to our users." Apple has previously voiced its criticism of the DMA, arguing that it compromises product quality, exposes users to privacy and security risks, and complicates the deployment of new software features in Europe. Earlier this year, the European Commission outlined its expectations for Apple's DMA compliance, which included making it easier for third-party smartwatches and headphones to connect with Apple devices, improving the user experience with such accessories, and granting developers greater access to Apple's software.
