The new rules in Europa they could convince Apple to open its ecosystem to rivals, at least on our continent? And how will the use of iPhone, iPad and other Apple devices change?
Will Apple have to open its ecosystem in Europe?
Apple has faced several challenges in Europe, including the withdrawal of the iPhone 12 from the French market and strikes by Apple Store workers in France. But it could be the challenges given by the European Union (EU) regulations to open the doors to competitors and promote competition to make Apple change its business model.
The European Commissioner Thierry Breton recently met Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, in Brussels, to discuss the need to open the doors to competitors, as requested by the Digital Markets Act (DMA) dell’UE. The DMA establishes rules aimed at ensuring competition in the technology sector, effective from May 2023.
The EU believes that Apple should allow its users to download applications from sources other than those offered by the Apple App Store. This openness should extend not only to applications, but also to other services, such as e-wallets and browsers.
Apple has expressed concerns regarding the privacy and security risks associated with DMA. As Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have done, other companies that need to open their ecosystems for DMA.
At the moment, we don’t know what Cook discussed in Brussels. In fact, he only tweeted that he had met the employees of theApple Store in Brussels. But it seems Apple will be forced to adapt, opening its system in Europe. This could bring new app stores, payment methods and browsers to iPhone and iPad.