Apple announced on Friday that it will not release three new features in the European Union (EU) in 2024. This includes their main new product, “Apple Intelligence,” due to unclear rules from the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
In a statement, Apple said that Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and new SharePlay screen-sharing features will not be available in the EU. Apple is concerned that the DMA’s rules might force them to change their products in ways that could harm user privacy and data security.
The DMA was passed in 2023 because of worries that big tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and TikTok were stopping smaller companies from competing. The DMA requires that basic functions work across different devices and systems.
These rules affect iPhones and iPads, and Macs are also included because iPhone Mirroring lets users display their iPhone screen on a Mac.
The absence of Apple Intelligence may disappoint users. This product can check and rewrite text, create custom emojis called Genmoji, search messages, summarize and transcribe calls, and show important notifications. Apple also announced a partnership with OpenAI and plans to add more features to the platform.
Apple’s stock did not change much after the news. In 2023, Apple had $94.3 billion in sales in Europe, almost a quarter of its total sales worldwide. Apple Intelligence will also not be available in Greater China, which made up $72.6 billion of its sales in 2023.
Apple said they will work with the EU to try and find a way to offer these features to their European customers without compromising their safety.
Source: cnbc
