The head of the European Commission considers that delaying Apple Intelligence is proof that Apple wants to avoid competition.
The European Union criticized Apple’s decision not to launch its artificial intelligence in Europe, accusing it of anti-competitive behavior. The European Commission thinks that not offering Apple Intelligence because of the Digital Markets Act is a “surprising” statement since the goal of this law is to encourage competition.
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During a participation in Forum Europe, Competition Commissioner and Vice President of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, stated that she finds it “very interesting” that Apple is not going to launch its artificial intelligence in Europe. According to Vestager, it’s the most:
“surprising and open statement that they know 100% that this is another way to avoid competition where they already have a strong position.”
“They have said that they will not launch their artificial intelligence due to the obligations they have in Europe,”
Said the Competition Commissioner.
“And the obligations they have in Europe are to open up to competition. That is the summary version of the Digital Markets Act,”
Vestager added.
The decision to delay Apple Intelligence has not only surprised the head of the European Commission but also users in Spain. According to Apple, the DMA requirements force them to lower the security of their products and services. The technology company declared a few days ago that its artificial intelligence and other iPad and macOS functions will not be available this year in Europe.
“We are concerned that the DMA’s interoperability requirements could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that put user privacy and data security at risk,”
Apple said in a statement.
“We do not believe we will be able to roll out three of these features (iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing, and Apple Intelligence) to our EU users this year.”
Apple Fights Battle in Europe Over Non-Compliance with Law
The refusal to comply with the guidelines of the Digital Markets Act is already causing headaches for those in Cupertino. A few days ago, Apple became the first company to be investigated for violating the DMA, a process that could result in a fine of up to $38 billion.
The European Union considers that Apple infringes the DMA with the Apple Store fees. The controversial Core Technology Fee (CTF), which charges 0.50 euros per download, generated discontent among developers, who asked the Commission to intervene. The fee applies both to developers who distribute their applications outside the App Store and to those who develop alternative app stores.
If the investigation finds Apple guilty, the company will face a fine of up to 10% of its global annual turnover. The figure could rise to $38 billion, considering revenues recorded in 2023. The fine for violating the DMA would be the highest in the company’s history, although Apple will have a period to present documentation and negotiate with the European Union.
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