Apple urges DMA repeal or overhaul amid feature delays and privacy

Apple urged the European Commission on Thursday to repeal or sharply revise the bloc's landmark Digital Markets Act, saying the three year old antitrust law is forcing the company to delay software features for European users and is creating privacy and security risks. In a formal submission to the Commission's first public review of the rules, Apple said the DMA's interoperability requirements have prevented it from rolling out features such as Live Translation for AirPods, iPhone Mirroring and certain Apple Maps functions in EU member states, and warned that more delays or, in a worst case, product restrictions could follow.

Apple said the DMA, which designates a set of large technology firms as "gatekeepers" and requires them to allow third party app stores and interoperability with competing hardware, clashes with its on device privacy architecture. The company described Live Translation as an on device feature that processes conversations locally and is never accessible to Apple, and said engineering work is needed to prevent exposing those conversations or other sensitive data to third party devices or developers. Apple added that while it supports the principle of...