Apple Intelligence may not come to the EU at launch over regulatory concerns

2024-06-28

Last week, at WWDC, Apple jumped on the AI bandwagon by introducing Apple Intelligence for iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. However, it may not be available at launch in the European Union since Apple has announced it could block Apple Intelligence's release in the EU over regulatory concerns.

Apple said that Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing may not be rolled out in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which could force the Cupertino-based tech giant into downgrading the security of its products and services.

“We are concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security,” said Apple in a statement to Bloomberg.

In a statement to the Financial Times, Apple said, "Due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act, we do not believe that we will be able to roll out three of these [new] features -- iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, and Apple Intelligence -- to our EU users this year."

It's unclear how exactly Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing could violate DMA, but Apple's decision not to release them in the EU would mean hundreds of millions of Apple users in the EU won't get a taste of Apple's newest software features and services.

However, there's still hope for EU users since Apple is yet to make the final decision about the release and is willing to work with the European Commission to find a solution.

"We are committed to collaborating with the European Commission in an attempt to find a solution that would enable us to deliver these features to our EU customers without compromising their safety," said Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz in a statement to The Verge.

You can read our Apple Intelligence announcement coverage here to learn more about it.