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...

The European Union today issued a warning to Apple, demanding that the tech giant open up its iOS operating system to rival companies and third-party developers or potentially face significant fines. The move is part of the EU's efforts to enforce the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to ensure fair competition in the digital marketplace. The European Commission has initiated two...

Ukraine-based developer MacPaw has announced the open beta release of Setapp Mobile, its alternative app store for iOS devices in the European Union. This launch comes in the wake of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates support for third-party app marketplaces on iOS in the EU. Setapp Mobile, which has been in closed beta testing for several months, is now available to all EU users...

Apple has announced it will allow iPad apps to be sold via third-party app stores in the European Union from Monday, September 16, coinciding with the release of iPadOS 18. The move follows Apple's tolerance in the bloc for alternative app stores on iPhones, which happened earlier this year in compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple's iPad operating system was...

Apple is making additional changes to its app ecosystem in the European Union to comply with the terms of the Digital Markets Act. The default browser selection experience that's already in place will be updated, Apple will allow EU users to set defaults for more types of apps, and core iOS apps like Messages and the App Store will also be deletable. iPhone owners in the EU can already set...

After a four-year absence, Fortnite is making its return to iPhones – but only for users in the European Union. This comeback is part of the broader launch of the Epic Games Store for iPhone, which went live today in the EU. The return of Fortnite to iOS comes as a result of the EU's Digital Markets Act, which has forced Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces on its platform. Users in...

Spotify says it has received approval from Apple to display pricing information in its iOS app for users in the European Union, following its years-long legal struggle with the company. Spotify says that from Wednesday, iPhone users in the EU will be informed of pricing information in the app and the fact that they can go to the company's website to purchase items directly. "EU iPhone...

Apple is today announcing some updates to its Digital Markets Act compliance plan in the European Union, with changes to external linking that give developers more freedom to direct customers to non-App Store purchase options and sales. EU developers that are operating under the new App Store business terms or the prior ‌App Store‌ purchase terms can update their apps to communicate and...

iPhone users in the European Union can now install torrenting apps, bypassing Apple's stringent App Store policies (via The Verge). The alternative app marketplace AltStore PAL is now offering torrenting apps, a category that has historically been banned by Apple. This follows the introduction of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which has reduced Apple's control over apps available in the ...

Apple rival Epic Games today announced plans to bring Fortnite to alternative app store AltStore in the European Union, which will mean the popular game will soon be available to download on iPhones and iPads. Created by developer Riley Testut, AltStore PAL was one of the first alternative app stores on iOS when it launched back in April. AltStore PAL is available in the European Union,...

The European Union has accepted commitments from Apple to open its mobile payments system and give competitors access to the iPhone's NFC technology, bringing an end to a lengthy investigation by EU regulators into the technology. According to the announcement, Apple has agreed to open up its payments system to other providers free of charge for a decade. Apple will let users set a...

Epic Games says it has submitted the Epic Games Store to Apple for notarization under Apple's alternative app marketplace policy in the European Union. The ‌Epic Games‌ Store will include popular game Fortnite, which means ‌iPhone‌ users in the EU will be able to install and play the title without having to use a cloud gaming service. Epic said it was "targeting the next couple...

The European Commission has formally announced its preliminary view that Apple's App Store policies are in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), specifically in relation to anti-steering rules. Under the DMA, developers distributing their apps via Apple's ‌App Store‌ should be able, free of charge, to inform their customers of alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities, steer them to...

Apple is facing a "number" of "very serious" issues with its Digital Markets Act compliance in Europe, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in an interview with CNBC. The European Commission opened an investigation into Apple in March to determine if Apple's EU app marketplace changes were complying with DMA regulations. The DMA requires Apple to provide developers with an...

Apple is set to conclude a lengthy antitrust investigation by the European Union into its mobile payments system by making significant concessions to give competitors access to the iPhone's NFC technology, the Financial Times reports. The European Commission charged Apple in 2022 with violating competition law, contending that Apple was preventing competitors from accessing its near-field...

Aptoide, a popular Google Play alternative for Android devices, will be launching an iOS game marketplace on Thursday, June 6, in the European Union. The Aptoide iOS store will launch with a limited selection of titles, but the company says that new games will arrive every day, and that 30 titles are currently being processed for inclusion. Examples of current games include Word Jungle,...

Apple is challenging a $1.95 billion fine imposed by the European Commission for thwarting fair competition from music-streaming rivals, including Spotify (via Bloomberg). The Commission fined Apple in March, saying that the company abused its dominant position in the market by forbidding music streaming apps to tell users about cheaper subscription prices outside the app. The EU...

Developers who want to develop browsers for iOS with third-party engines can only test their apps on devices physically located in the EU, according to The Register. This rule introduces a considerable barrier for developers outside the EU, who are now limited to using simulators instead of actual devices for testing their browsers. This restriction complicates the process of developing and...

Apple today confirmed that it will be bringing all of the app ecosystem changes made to iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall. Earlier this week, the European Commission said that iPadOS is also a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act. EU developers will be able to distribute iPad apps outside of the App Store using alternative app marketplaces or websites, and all of...

Apple today announced that it is tweaking the terms of the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee (CTF) that apps distributed using the new EU business terms must pay, introducing a solution that would keep small apps that go viral from being charged unreasonable fees. First, independent and small developers who earn no revenue at all will not have to pay the CTF. Students, hobbyists, and freeware...

Apple must allow iPad users the option of sideloading apps outside the confines of the App Store's walled garden within six months or face potentially heavy fines, according to the findings of an investigation by the European Commission. Last September, the Commission designated Apple as a gatekeeper for its iOS iPhone operating system, its web browser Safari, and its App Store. To be...