European Union

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The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here’s What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port

Friday February 21, 2020 9:29 am PST by
Despite pushback from Apple, the European Parliament in January voted overwhelmingly for new rules to establish a common charging standard for mobile device makers across the European Union. This article explores what form the EU laws might ultimately take and how they could affect Apple device users in Europe and elsewhere. What Exactly is the EU Calling For? To reduce cost, electronic...

European Union Articles

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Torrenting Apps Now Available for iPhone Users in the EU

Sunday July 28, 2024 10:57 am PDT by
iPhone users in the European Union can now install torrenting apps, bypassing Apple's stringent App Store policies (via The Verge). The alternative app marketplace AltStore PAL is now offering torrenting apps, a category that has historically been banned by Apple. This follows the introduction of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which has reduced Apple's control over apps available in the ...
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Fortnite Coming to AltStore on iOS in European Union

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:26 pm PDT by
Apple rival Epic Games today announced plans to bring Fortnite to alternative app store AltStore in the European Union, which will mean the popular game will soon be available to download on iPhones and iPads. Created by developer Riley Testut, AltStore PAL was one of the first alternative app stores on iOS when it launched back in April. AltStore PAL is available in the European Union,...
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EU Regulators Accept Apple Commitments to Open NFC Access to Rivals

Thursday July 11, 2024 3:33 am PDT by
The European Union has accepted commitments from Apple to open its mobile payments system and give competitors access to the iPhone's NFC technology, bringing an end to a lengthy investigation by EU regulators into the technology. According to the announcement, Apple has agreed to open up its payments system to other providers free of charge for a decade. Apple will let users set a...
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Fortnite and Epic Games Store Submitted to Apple for iOS Launch in EU

Monday July 1, 2024 5:37 am PDT by
Epic Games says it has submitted the Epic Games Store to Apple for notarization under Apple's alternative app marketplace policy in the European Union. The ‌Epic Games‌ Store will include popular game Fortnite, which means ‌iPhone‌ users in the EU will be able to install and play the title without having to use a cloud gaming service. Epic said it was "targeting the next couple...
App Store vs EU Feature 2

EU Accuses Apple's App Store Steering Rules of Violating DMA and Opens Investigation into Developer Fees

Monday June 24, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
The European Commission has formally announced its preliminary view that Apple's App Store policies are in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), specifically in relation to anti-steering rules. Under the DMA, developers distributing their apps via Apple's ‌App Store‌ should be able, free of charge, to inform their customers of alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities, steer them to...
App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Has 'Very Serious' DMA Issues, EU to Enforce Rules 'Soon'

Tuesday June 18, 2024 5:14 pm PDT by
Apple is facing a "number" of "very serious" issues with its Digital Markets Act compliance in Europe, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in an interview with CNBC. The European Commission opened an investigation into Apple in March to determine if Apple's EU app marketplace changes were complying with DMA regulations. The DMA requires Apple to provide developers with an...
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EU Reportedly Satisfied With Apple's Plans to Open iPhone's NFC Chip to Rivals

Tuesday June 18, 2024 6:37 am PDT by
Apple is set to conclude a lengthy antitrust investigation by the European Union into its mobile payments system by making significant concessions to give competitors access to the iPhone's NFC technology, the Financial Times reports. The European Commission charged Apple in 2022 with violating competition law, contending that Apple was preventing competitors from accessing its near-field...
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Aptoide Launching Alternative iOS Game Marketplace in EU

Tuesday June 4, 2024 3:56 am PDT by
Aptoide, a popular Google Play alternative for Android devices, will be launching an iOS game marketplace on Thursday, June 6, in the European Union. The Aptoide iOS store will launch with a limited selection of titles, but the company says that new games will arrive every day, and that 30 titles are currently being processed for inclusion. Examples of current games include Word Jungle,...
App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Challenges $2 Billion EU Antitrust Fine Over Spotify Complaint

Tuesday May 21, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
Apple is challenging a $1.95 billion fine imposed by the European Commission for thwarting fair competition from music-streaming rivals, including Spotify (via Bloomberg). The Commission fined Apple in March, saying that the company abused its dominant position in the market by forbidding music streaming apps to tell users about cheaper subscription prices outside the app. The EU...
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Testing of iOS Browsers With Third-Party Engines Geofenced to EU

Friday May 17, 2024 7:10 am PDT by
Developers who want to develop browsers for iOS with third-party engines can only test their apps on devices physically located in the EU, according to The Register. This rule introduces a considerable barrier for developers outside the EU, who are now limited to using simulators instead of actual devices for testing their browsers. This restriction complicates the process of developing and...
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Apple Confirms iPadOS Will Get Same EU App Changes as iOS This Fall

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today confirmed that it will be bringing all of the app ecosystem changes made to iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall. Earlier this week, the European Commission said that iPadOS is also a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act. EU developers will be able to distribute iPad apps outside of the App Store using alternative app marketplaces or websites, and all of...
App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Tweaks EU Core Technology Fee to Avoid Bankrupting Unexpectedly Viral Apps

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:00 am PDT by
Apple today announced that it is tweaking the terms of the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee (CTF) that apps distributed using the new EU business terms must pay, introducing a solution that would keep small apps that go viral from being charged unreasonable fees. First, independent and small developers who earn no revenue at all will not have to pay the CTF. Students, hobbyists, and freeware...
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Apple Must Allow App Sideloading on iPads Within 6 Months, EU Rules

Tuesday April 30, 2024 6:46 am PDT by
Apple must allow iPad users the option of sideloading apps outside the confines of the App Store's walled garden within six months or face potentially heavy fines, according to the findings of an investigation by the European Commission. Last September, the Commission designated Apple as a gatekeeper for its iOS iPhone operating system, its web browser Safari, and its App Store. To be...
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Epic Games to Bring Fortnite to iPad in EU After iPadOS 'Gatekeeper' Decision

Monday April 29, 2024 3:24 pm PDT by
With Apple soon to be required to bring the same EU changes that it made on the iPhone to the iPad, Epic Games today confirmed that it will release Fortnite for the ‌iPad‌ in the future. ‌Epic Games‌ is already working to release an ‌iPhone‌ version of Fortnite in the EU, with the game set to be available from the forthcoming ‌Epic Games‌ Store, an alternative app marketplace. The ‌iPhone‌...
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iPadOS Identified as Digital 'Gatekeeper' Under New EU Tech Rules

Monday April 29, 2024 3:15 am PDT by
EU antitrust officials on Monday identified iPadOS, Apple's operating system for iPads, as a significant digital gatekeeper under the EU's new tech regulations, which carry strict requirements that aim to promote fair competition and expand options for consumers. Last September, the Commission designated Apple as a gatekeeper for its iOS iPhone operating system, its web browser Safari, and...
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Spotify and Apple Again Clash Over App Store Rules and Fees

Wednesday April 24, 2024 2:36 pm PDT by
Spotify has not been able to get Apple to approve an EU app update that added information on subscription pricing and links to the Spotify website, and it turns out that's because Spotify has not agreed to the terms of Apple's Music Streaming Services Entitlement. A recent antitrust ruling from the European Commission fined Apple nearly $2 billion and mandated that Apple "remove...
European Commisssion

EU Right to Repair Rules Force Companies to Fix Out-of-Warranty Devices

Wednesday April 24, 2024 3:04 am PDT by
The European Commission has waved through new 'right to repair' legislation that aims to make it easier for consumers to get their broken devices fixed, even if products are out of warranty. The EU already requires companies to offer a two-year minimum warranty on common household appliances and electronics, such as smartphones, TVs, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners, but the new rules...
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European Regulators Will Soon Approve Apple's Plan to Open Up Tap-to-Pay to Banks and Payment Providers

Friday April 19, 2024 10:04 am PDT by
As part of the changes introduced in Europe in iOS 17.4, Apple gave third-party payment apps and banks direct access to the NFC chip, allowing for non-Apple Pay tap-to-pay payment options. The European Commission is set to approve Apple's plan to open up tap-and-go mobile payments "as soon as next month," according to Reuters. With NFC access, banks and third-party payment apps can offer...
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AltStore PAL Alternative App Marketplace Launches on iPhone in EU

Wednesday April 17, 2024 10:30 am PDT by
One of the first alternative app marketplaces went live in the European Union today, with developer Riley Testut introducing AltStore PAL, a version of his AltStore that can be accessed in EU countries. AltStore PAL is an open-source app that is designed to distribute apps from independent developers. At launch, it features two apps, including Testut's Delta game emulator and clipboard...
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Browser Companies Criticize Apple's EU Choice Screen in iOS 17.4

Friday April 12, 2024 6:26 am PDT by
Several third-party browser companies have experienced a spike in iPhone installs since Apple made major changes to iOS in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, but many are not happy with Apple's implementation of its default browser choice screen. In iOS 17.4, released last month, Apple no longer limits EU users to the handful of browser options that iOS...