The EU could force Apple to put AirDrop and AirPlay on Android phones

Date:
Thu, 19 Dec 2024 12:30:01 +0000

Description:
The latest round of EU proposals under the Digital Markets Act means Apple 
may be compelled to avail AirDrop, AirPlay, and other exclusive APIs to
Android phone makers, a move the company says would leave user privacy at
risk.

FULL STORY

A new round of EU proposals have firmly suggested that Apple make its
exclusive features available to other developers and phone makers. 

Under the proposals, EU residents may not need to buy an iPhone 16 for
themselves to use features like AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic audio
switching. 

Allowing other companies to use long-exclusive Apple features APIs would mark
a significant step up in the EUs ongoing efforts to loosen Apples control of
the smartphone market in the region. 

An API  Application Programming Interface  is a piece of software that allows
two applications to communicate, forming the foundation for features like
AirDrop. These exclusive elements of the Apple ecosystem have long been
considered major perks of buying an iPhone. 

The proposals are the latest suggestions made in relation to the Digital
Markets Act, a piece of EU legislation that regulates the activity and
competition of online storefronts and tech companies. 

Apple has already responded with a paper titled Interoperability December
2024, which claims that abuse of the DMA could result in the loss of user
privacy. 

The paper says Meta has made 15 requests for wide-reaching access to Apple
device technology, and suggests Apple would be unable to reject these should
the latest round of DMA proposals be enforced. 

As well as iPhone features, the latest round of suggestions focuses on the
exclusive audio and notification features enabled on the Apple Watch and
AirPods. The EU has requested that Apple allow third-party accessories the
same notification systems as its own products. 

As Android Authority reports, the EU has repeatedly demonstrated that it 
finds that Apples market dominance and tightly controlled ecosystem give the
company an unfair advantage over the competition. 

The suggestions do not seem to be immediately binding, but it is ostensibly
within the EUs purview to use the DMA to enforce them.

My analysis 

Apple has previously been seemingly forced to make begrudging concessions
under the DMA, such as switching to USB-C with the iPhone 15 and allowing
sideloading of apps through unofficial channels  but API access feels like a
step too far. 

The DMA has been instrumental in puncturing the popular view of tech 
companies as invincible entities, and shown time and time again that even the
top dogs can be compelled to change. 

However, if the DMA exists to foster competition, its worth remembering that
companies need something to compete with. Phones in particular have been on
something of a performance plateau thats only just coming to an end this 
year, so internal specs are rarely going to be enough to pull customers in. 

Exclusive features, like AirDrop and AirPlay, give Apple something to offer.
Its great that Google is so open with Android  I make frequent use of all the
interoperability features of the platform when switching between handsets for
reviews  but Im not convinced that this is a precedent Apple should be made 
to follow. 

Furthermore, Im inclined to believe Apples concern for user privacy. The
company previously faced down the FBI in order to protect the integrity of 
its ecosystem, and Im always pleasantly surprised by privacy features when
using my iPad, MacBook, or on the rare occasions I use an iPhone. 

Apple has received its fair share of criticism over the years, some earned,
some not. But one thing the company has done is work hard to create a 
singular vision and sense of flow through its ecosystem. If the company is
forced to offer its prized exclusive features publicly, Ill wonder how long
itll take before we see Android phones with Apple logos printed on the back.

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/the-eu-could-force-apple-to-put-airdro
p-and-airplay-on-android-phones

$$
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux