European Union

With the release of iOS 18.1 beta 2, Apple has apparently opened up access to Apple Intelligence for English speakers located in the European Union, something that was not possible in previous versions. One of the reasons Apple limited region access to Apple Intelligence was that it only supports US English. Another reason Apple Intelligence was previously not available in the EU was because ...

Despite pushback from Apple, the European Parliament in January voted overwhelmingly for new rules to establish a common charging standard for mobile device makers across the European Union. This article explores what form the EU laws might ultimately take and how they could affect Apple device users in Europe and elsewhere. What Exactly is the EU Calling For? To reduce cost, electronic...

Italy's competition regulator said on Tuesday it had launched an investigation into Apple over its compliance with interoperability obligations as set out in the European Digital Markets Act (DMA). Under the DMA, Apple must ensure that third-party providers of consumer cloud services can interoperate effectively and free of charge with Apple's iOS and iPadOS software platforms. The rules...

Apple announced a range of new iOS 27 features at WWDC this week, but some of them won't be available in the European Union at launch. The biggest glaring omission is Siri AI on iPhone and iPad. Apple says the new chatbot-style ‌Siri‌ experience, the dedicated ‌Siri‌ app for revisiting conversations, expanded Visual Intelligence features, integrated Writing Tools, and the new ‌Siri‌ mode in...

iOS 27 has a new "Tap to Share" feature that lets merchants use their iPhone to connect to a customer's device with an NFC tap for the purpose of data exchange. This is useful for small business owners, vendors at local markets, and so forth. Tap to Share is an extension of the existing Tap to Pay on iPhone feature, which lets merchants accept contactless payments on an iPhone, with no...

The European Commission has responded to Apple's announcement that Siri AI will not launch in the EU, saying the decision is entirely Apple's and that the company sought an exemption from its legal obligations rather than a compliant solution. Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters in Brussels (via Reuters) that Apple had failed to develop interoperability solutions meeting EU ...

The new enhanced Siri AI features that Apple announced today at WWDC 2026 will not be available in the European Union or in China when they are released in beta later this year. Apple said that while Siri AI will be available for free with the new upcoming OS releases, it will not be available in the EU on iOS and iPadOS until it can find a path forward for regulatory approval. Apple said ...

Apple has stepped in to warn that EU proposals to force Google to open Android to competing AI services pose serious risks to user privacy, security, and safety. Apple's latest submission to the EU comes (via Reuters) in response to the European Commission's call for feedback on draft measures designed to help Google comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The proposals would allow...

iOS 26.5 introduces several interoperability changes for third-party wearables, which means European iPhone users have access to new capabilities when using non-Apple accessories. To comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act, Apple is letting third-party wearables access some features that have historically been limited to the Apple Watch and AirPods. Proximity pairing - Third-party...

Apple objected to a European trademark filing from a Chinese keyboard maker because the logo the company wanted to use was too close to Apple's own logo. The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) partially refused to grant a European Union Trade Mark after Apple opposed the filing. The company, Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics Co., makes mechanical keyboards and keycaps, according to its...

As part of its interoperability compliance in the EU, Apple has been working on changes to iOS that allow AirPods-like pairing and notification forwarding for third-party wearables on iPhone. In the iOS 26.5 beta released on Monday, Apple added Live Activities forwarding, and the company has now revised its Developer Program License Agreement with new rules on how the forwarding features should...

For the last several months, Apple has been working on interoperability changes that are set to be implemented in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple is developing AirPods-like pairing and notification forwarding for third-party wearables. Testing on these features started back in iOS 26.3 and continued in iOS 26.4, but the options have not yet launched. Apple is ...

A coalition of Europe's biggest broadcasters is pushing the EU to bring smart TV platforms like Apple TV and virtual assistants like Siri under the bloc's toughest tech regulation, reports Reuters. The Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT), whose members include Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, and Sky, sent a letter on Monday to EU antitrust...

The AppleCare One trademark was today registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), suggesting Apple's subscription for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan could soon be expanding outside the United States. Apple launched AppleCare One in the U.S. in July 2025. The plan starts at $19.99 per month and covers up to three products, with additional...

In October 2025, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring invrs.io LLC's sole employee, and certain assets from the company. Following a four-month waiting period, the European Commission published this information this week. That sole employee appears to be Martin Schubert, according to his LinkedIn profile. Schubert founded invrs.io in 2023 to advance AI-guided...

The European Commission today said it found that Apple Maps and Apple Ads should not be designated as "gateways" under the EU's Digital Markets Act. In a press release, the European Commission said that Apple Maps and Apple Ads are not big enough individually to qualify as "important gateways between business users and end users," and therefore the platforms will not be subject to stricter...

Apple claims the European Commission is refusing to let to implement App Store changes, instead using "political delay tactics" to levy unfair investigations and fines. Apple provided the statement to Bloomberg in response to MacPaw's decision to shut down alternative iOS app marketplace Setapp Mobile in the EU because of the complicated business terms that it has to deal with. The European...

Ukraine-based developer MacPaw is set to close Setapp Mobile, its alternative app store for iOS devices in the European Union, next month. The service will officially cease operating on February 16, 2026. Setapp Mobile launched in open beta in September 2024. In a support page, MacPaw said Setapp Mobile is being closed because of app marketplaces' "still-evolving and complex business...

The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...

The Trump administration is pressuring the European Union to cut down on regulations that impact tech companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Meta. The Office of the United States Trade Representative today posted a message to the European Union on social media, threatening retaliation if the EU continues to target U.S. companies. The post says the U.S. will implement fees and restrictions ...

Epic Games launched its mobile store for iPhone and iPad in the EU last year, and it has since established a popular program of weekly game giveaways. This week, it is making one of the most awarded indie action games of recent years free to download for a limited time. Dead Cells is an action-platformer from developer Motion Twin that combines elements of traditional side-scrolling combat...

The simplified smartphone switching Apple and Google are adopting is an example of how the Digital Markets Act (DMA) benefits users and developers, the European Commission said today. Apple and Google are making it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, adding an option to transfer data from another smartphone during the device setup process. Apple and Google are...