Due to regulations imposed by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple has announced that three of its most anticipated features unveiled at WWDC 2024 will not be available in Europe with the release of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia this fall. Let's explore the reasons for this and when they might become available.
The DMA introduces new obstacles for Apple Intelligence and more
The anticipation surrounding Apple's new features, unveiled at WWDC 2024, has been dimmed in Europe by the presence of the DMA. This law is designed to foster competition and control the dominance of major tech companies, yet it has also created substantial hurdles for the deployment of new functionalities, affecting Apple this time.
The affected features include, most notably, Apple Intelligence: a tool that promises to enhance Siri, integration with ChatGPT, the creation of Genmojis, Image Playground for generating images, impressive new writing functions that allow for text correction, style alterations, or summarizing key points, and much more. Additionally, iPhone Mirroring, which would allow controlling an iPhone from a Mac, and improvements in SharePlay Screen Sharing, which would facilitate sharing and controlling screens remotely, will also not reach European users at the same time as the rest of the world.
Why Won't Apple Intelligence arrive in Europe this fall?
Apple has expressed in a statement to the Financial Times that it is the "regulatory uncertainties" that prevent the deployment of these innovations in the European market this year. This not only affects Apple users, who will be deprived of these improvements, but also European developers, who will not be able to integrate these functionalities into their applications, putting them at a disadvantage compared to their global competitors.
It seems that one of the most compelling reasons why these features will not arrive in Europe this fall is the DMA's requirement that certain companies cannot favor their own operating system. This poses a significant technical challenge, especially for features like iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay, which would require the practically impossible implementation of equivalent functionalities on Android to comply with the regulations and be accepted.
When will Apple Intelligence arrive in Europe?
For now, we know that Apple is already working on adapting all its new features to the European regulations, but it is not clear when they might be available. And, as we have discussed, the biggest concern remains in the possibility that certain features, especially those involving direct control over devices across different platforms, may never be implemented.
So, for the moment, unless compatible solutions are found sooner than expected, European users and developers will have to wait before they can enjoy these significant innovations in Apple's operating systems.
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