Apple Blames EU’s DMA for Delayed iPhone Features, Citing New Security and Privacy Risks

Apple recently issued a new lobbying statement claiming that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is delaying the rollout of newly developed features in the European market, while certain legal requirements could negatively impact user security.

Among the cited concerns were delays in launching AI capabilities and iPhone Mirroring within the EU, the risk of third-party alternative app stores distributing malicious content, and restrictions preventing Apple Maps data—such as visited locations and preferred routes—from being shared with third-party developers, ostensibly due to privacy concerns.

In its closing remarks, Apple argued that the DMA is degrading the overall user experience for EU customers, urging regulators to carefully consider the law’s unintended consequences—namely, exposing users to higher risks of fraud and undermining device security.

Yet Apple’s assertions appear somewhat disingenuous. At the core of the matter is the EU’s insistence that Apple cannot discriminate in favor of its own services. For instance, if iPhone Mirroring were to be introduced in the EU, Apple would also be obliged to extend support to Android and Windows systems.

Similarly, while Apple raises alarms about adult applications in third-party stores, such apps would still undergo notarization and review—both by Apple and the alternative store operators. From that perspective, their security standards should not be inherently weaker than Apple’s own App Store, which itself has faced recurring issues with fraudulent apps.

As for Apple’s refusal to allow export or sharing of Maps data, the argument seems even less defensible. Users should reasonably have the right to transfer their personal mapping information to other applications; Apple’s invocation of privacy concerns appears more a pretext than a principle.

Following Apple’s statement, the European Commission issued its own response. A spokesperson for EU digital affairs remarked:

“It’s been more than a year since the Digital Markets Act was implemented. Over that time, it’s become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU. It’s exposing them to new risks, and disrupting the simple, seamless way their Apple products work together. And as new technologies come out, our European users’ Apple products will only fall further behind.”

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