Tim Cook Meets EU Antitrust Chief Ahead of iPhone App Sideloading Deadline
Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday met the European Union’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, at Apple Park amid a series of disputes between the organizations.
The meeting focused on European competition policy and digital regulation. On X (formerly Twitter), Vestager explained that she stressed Apple’s impending obligation to allow users to install third-party app stores and sideload apps under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). They also spoke about ongoing investigations involving Apple, such as a complaint raised by Spotify against Apple Music, but Vestager declined to provide more specific detail of the discussion.
Apple is facing a range of challenges in the EU, such as a $14 billion tax dispute and a potential deal to open up the iPhone‘s NFC technology to payment services from rival companies. Most strikingly, new EU rules such as the DMA designate major tech companies as “gatekeepers” and compel them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA is expected to force Apple to make significant changes to the way the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work in Europe. For example, Apple will be obliged to give developers the ability to promote their offers outside the App Store and use third-party payment systems.
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