September 26, 2025, 6:04 am | Read time: 6 minutes
“We can’t solve all the challenges that the DMA brings.” It’s rare to hear Apple admit it can’t do something. But when it comes to the many features–live translation, iPhone synchronization, AirPods as a video microphone–that aren’t available in the EU, that’s exactly the reason: The requirements are too high and not fair. Is the company right, or is it just trying to keep its cards close to its chest? TECHBOOK investigates.
What the DMA Means for Apple in the EU
In 2022, the EU introduced a regulation to more strictly regulate digital services and platforms. The so-called Digital Markets Act requires large tech companies like Apple to make certain features accessible to third parties and allow alternative app marketplaces and payment systems. Under the DMA, the EU also identified the company in 2023 as a gatekeeper with a dominant market position due to its established platforms. The European Commission has therefore formulated a series of special requirements that force Apple to make its core technologies accessible to third parties.
In a press statement, the company now communicates unexpectedly openly about the limitations these requirements mean for users:
“The DMA requires Apple to ensure that certain features work on non-Apple products and apps before we can make them available to our users. Unfortunately, this requires significant development effort, which has led to some new features being delayed in the EU.”
I had already warned in early 2025 that Apple would not simply give up its “walled garden” approach–protecting its innovative and exclusive technologies. The EU’s idea is correct, as third parties have no way to compete with Apple’s features due to the external isolation. However, it is now clear that forcing the company to open up these core technologies does not lead to the desired outcome.
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According to Apple, new features can only appear in the EU if they are accessible to third parties right from the start. If the company introduces a new feature without adhering to this requirement, it faces a fine and even a sales ban.
No iPhone Synchronization
The first technology affected was iPhone synchronization with the Mac, which appeared in 2024 with iOS 18. The feature allows the iPhone screen to be displayed in a window on the Mac, enabling remote use of the smartphone, writing messages, moving photos and files, and accessing apps. According to Apple, developers “have not yet found a secure way to bring this feature to non-Apple devices without compromising all user data on the iPhone.” Apple’s AI tools, which also appeared in 2024 with iOS 18, only made it to Europe in early 2025.
No Live Translation
With iOS 26, the situation has only worsened. TECHBOOK recently discovered that the new feature allowing AirPods Pro 3 to be used as a microphone for video recordings is not available in Germany. Several highly anticipated features of iOS 26–live translation with AirPods, as well as Visited Places and Preferred Routes in Apple Maps–are also unavailable in the EU. The latter store the user’s location locally on the device, so even Apple itself does not have access. According to the company, it is not possible to share the data needed for the features with third parties without also disclosing the user’s location.
Live translation with AirPods is similar. The translated conversations are processed on the device itself and are not accessible to Apple. However, the company is at least working on a solution to give third parties access to the feature without transmitting private conversations.
Read more: Apple brings live translation to AirPods–why are we missing out?
According to its own statements, Apple has “proposed changes to these features that would ensure the protection of user data.” However, the European Commission has rejected these.
Apple Appeals to the EU
Officially, the DMA is supposed to create more competition and choice. However, Apple sees opposite developments that negatively impact users. They have less choice because new features appear later or not at all. Additionally, the differences between various platforms are diminishing. Since iOS-exclusive features would also be usable by others, the unique selling points that distinguish it from Android, for example, would disappear. Moreover, Apple feels unfairly treated by its status as a gatekeeper. Samsung, for instance, has a larger market share in Europe but is not identified as a gatekeeper. Stricter rules thus apply only to Apple, not to its strong competitors.
According to Apple, the DMA harms EU users and weakens innovation. The company continues to invest thousands of hours to comply with legal requirements. Therefore, Apple appeals to policymakers: Regulators should carefully examine the consequences of the law for European consumers. Apple emphasizes: “We are convinced: Our users in the EU deserve the best experience with our technology, at the same level we offer in the rest of the world–and we will continue to fight for that.”
Consumers Miss Out
“I consider the European Commission’s efforts to curb the market power of U.S. giants like Apple to be quite noble. The goal of the DMA is to provide users with more choices. But this cannot be achieved with the current strategy of forcing the company to open its core technologies.
I am well aware that Apple’s arguments are deliberately framed to make the EU solely responsible for the absence of new features here. I also find it exaggerated to cite data protection as the reason for all points. I am sure the company has the capacity to open at least part of it to third parties relatively quickly and easily–without compromising data protection.
I am frustrated every time that I still cannot use my AirPods as a microphone in videos. That I cannot mirror my iPhone screen on my MacBook. That I always have to feel like something is missing again. But I can’t blame Apple for not being in a hurry to share proprietary and expensively developed technologies. The blame lies at least equally with the European Commission, which has brought us to this situation.”