Apple appealed a European Union order requiring it to make devices like the iPhone and iPad more compatible with products offered by rival companies, a source familiar with the situation confirmed Monday.
The European Commission, the EU’s antitrust watchdog, has been pressuring Apple to improve the “interoperability” of its iOS operating system in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act – a landmark law meant to limit the power of internet gatekeepers and boost competition.
Apple, led by CEO Tim Cook, filed its appeal in the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg ahead of a May 30 deadline.
The company said the order, if it stays in place, would require it to share sensitive user data like personal notifications and stored WiFi networks “that even Apple doesn’t see.”
“In the end, these deeply flawed rules that only target Apple—and no other company—will severely limit our ability to deliver innovative products and features to Europe, leading to an inferior user experience for our European customers,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.
“We are appealing these decisions on their behalf, and in order to preserve the high-quality experience our European customers expect.”
Meta, Google, Spotify and Garmin are among the tech rivals that have requested more data access, sources close to Apple said.
Apple has said it has up to 500 engineers working on solutions to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
In December, the tech giant put out a report outlining its position on why the law’s interoperability requirements posed a user security risk.
Companies found to have violated the Digital Markets Act, which took effect in 2023, can be fined up to 10% of their annual revenue. In April, Apple and Meta became the first companies to face fines under the law.
Apple was fined $570 million and told to make it easier for third-party app developers to steer customers to cheaper deals outside of its App Store, where the iPhone maker has been accused of taking exorbitant commission fees on all transactions.
Critics, including “Fortnite” maker Epic Games, have spoken out in support of the Digital Markets Act, arguing it has helped to hold the company accountable for anti-competitive practices.
“Apple must change their business terms so developers can give consumers choices and communicate directly with them, free of charge and interference,” Gene Burrus, global policy counsel for the Coalition for App Fairness, said in April. “Apple’s non-compliance should no longer be a profitable business strategy.”
As The Post has reported, the EU’s decision to press forward with a crackdown on American tech firms has emerged as a major sticking point in trade talks with the Trump administration.
US officials have argued that the EU’s fines are equivalent to tariffs.
