The European law on digital markets will force Apple to change, beyond what was planned!
Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has led to changes we thought were impossible from Apple. So, in addition to the introduction of alternative app stores on iPhones, starting with iOS 17.4, more things are coming. The company will make it easier for iPhone users to switch to another operating system in the European Union in order to create “more user-friendly solutions” for transferring data from an “iPhone” to a non-Apple mobile.
According to the DMA compliance report released by Apple, the update that will promote user flexibility in data management is expected to be available in fall 2025. After that, companies like Samsung and Google will be able to offer better tools to transfer data from an iPhone.
Apple still has a long way to go to comply with the Digital Markets Act
Apple’s document describes the Phone Data Transfer feature as “a solution that helps mobile operating system vendors develop more user-friendly solutions for transferring data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone.”
In addition, it guarantees that plans for the feature will build on existing migration tools that other companies already offer.
Another of the changes, will allow EU iPhone users to completely remove Safari from their devices starting in late 2024and they can replace it with another browser.
As part of this plan, Apple is developing a browser switching solution to export and import browser data to another browser on the same device. From now on, Apple has begun supporting alternative web browser engines, another requirement of the DMA.
All of these features will likely only be released in the EU, as that’s where the DMA applies. So far, everything Apple has done to comply with the DMA has been limited to the EU.
Since the DMA’s approval, Apple has touted its drawbacks, based on the alleged security and privacy risks it presents to users. But finally, The EU has prioritized a more competitive system in which users have more control over their deviceswith a more open ecosystem and greater flexibility in application selection, web browsing and data management.
