iPhone mirroring and SharePlay are among the AI features that Apple has delayed in Europe because of the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
TakeAway Points:
- Apple has delayed the rollout of its AI capabilities in Europe due to regulatory issues arising from the EU’s Digital Markets Act. These features include SharePlay Screen Sharing, Apple Intelligence, and iPhone Mirroring.
- The postponement has an effect on Apple’s generative AI models and OpenAI collaboration, which encompasses sophisticated features like enhanced Siri assistance and writing tools.
- Analysts predict that new AI capabilities will spur worldwide iPhone upgrades, but Big Tech still faces a major obstacle in complying with EU regulations.
Apple Postpones AI Features in EU
Apple has announced that it will not roll out its new artificial intelligence features in Europe this year due to “regulatory uncertainties” stemming from the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The tech giant had unveiled a suite of “Apple Intelligence” services and a partnership with OpenAI, which CEO Tim Cook described as the company’s “next big step” into the age of generative AI. However, complexities in making these systems compatible with EU rules have led to a delay for European users.
“Due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act, we do not believe that we will be able to roll out three of these [new] features — iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, and Apple Intelligence — to our EU users this year.” Apple stated.
The DMA aims to enable local start-ups to better compete with Big Tech companies by forcing large digital platforms to share data with others and banning them from ranking their own services above rivals’.
Influence on Apple’s AI Release
The delay affects several key features of Apple’s new AI offerings. Apple Intelligence, a suite of generative AI models, includes functionalities such as writing aids, image and emoji generation, and a more powerful Siri assistant.
These features are personalized to the user and processed on customers’ iPhones and in Apple’s data centers, which the company claims adds an important layer of privacy and security. The partnership with OpenAI allows users to route more complex queries to ChatGPT, one of the world’s most powerful generative AI models.
Apple also announced that the two other enhancements facing delay in the EU are iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing. iPhone Mirroring allows users to control their iPhone from their Mac PC, while SharePlay Screen Sharing lets users share access to their device. Apple said it hopes to bring these features to EU users eventually but needs to ensure they comply with EU rules.
For the rest of the world, Apple Intelligence is expected to roll out with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year.
“We are highly motivated to make these technologies accessible to all users,” Apple said.
Analysts have noted that these AI features could incentivize iPhone owners to upgrade to new models.
Regulatory Barriers
Apple has long criticized the DMA, arguing that it exposes users to privacy risks by eroding its tight control of the Apple software ecosystem. The company said it needs clarity from the European Commission over the level of access it would need to grant to third parties for its Apple Intelligence features and device-sharing functionalities.
“We are concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security,” Apple stated.
The European Commission responded, “The EU is an attractive market of 450 million potential users and has always been open for business for any company that wants to provide services in the European internal market. Gatekeepers are welcome to offer their services in Europe, provided that they comply with our rules aimed at ensuring fair competition.”
Apple is not the first Big Tech company to see its AI roadmap disrupted by EU rules. Earlier this month, Meta announced it would not launch its latest AI models in Europe due to pressure from data protection watchdogs.
