The European Commission has launched two specification proceedings to force Apple to meet its interoperability obligations (the ability to work with other devices) as outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EU needs Apple to open up its devices to work better with accessories and other platforms.
Apple's devices, like the Apple Watch, are commercially important and rely on interoperability with smartphones and operating systems like iOS. The first process the Commission is starting focuses on how different devices connect and talk to each other. The commission wants to make sure features like notifications, pairing new devices, and staying connected work well between Apple devices and third-party companies.
The second process is about how Apple handles requests from other companies that want their products to work with iPhones and iPads. The Commission wants to make sure this process is fair and transparent so everyone has a clear path to make products compatible with Apple's technology. Apple's App Store, iOS, Safari web browser, and iPadOS have all been designated as "core platform services," meaning Apple's devices fall under the DMA's rules. The Commission has the authority to specify the necessary measures a gatekeeper, such as Apple, must implement to guarantee compliance with DMA obligations.
The EU said in a press release, "The DMA aims to ensure contestable and fair markets in the digital sector. It regulates gatekeepers, which are large digital platforms that provide an important gateway between business users and consumers, whose position can grant them the power to create a bottleneck in the digital economy."
The Commission has given itself six months to complete these processes. During this time, The commission will work with Apple and explain what the company needs to do to follow the rules. During the process and after, the commission will share its findings with the public and get feedback from others. Apple could be forced to open up more Apple Watch features, like advanced notification syncronization, to more third-party smartwatches, among other changes.
Source: European Commission