Apple has postponed the launch of its Apple Intelligence AI features within the EU, citing security and privacy concerns in complying with the Digital Markets Act.
But Apple’s latest AI move raises quite a few questions. Why has the iPhone maker delayed the launch of Apple Intelligence in such a big market, are its privacy and security concerns valid – and what else might need led to its decision?
Apple has postponed the launch of its Apple Intelligence AI features within the EU, citing security and … [+]
What happened?
At 21th of June Bloomberg reported that the iPhone maker will postpone the launch of iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing extensions and Apple Intelligence AI within the EU until 2025. According to Apple, the explanation for that is that the DMA requirement for interoperability would endanger the safety and privacy of the iPhone.
The AI ​​features can be available on iPhone 15 and recent devices scheduled to launch in just a few months, and can roll out within the U.S. this fall. “We are concerned that the DMA’s interoperability requirements could require us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that endanger users’ privacy and data security,” Apple said.
Wait, that sounds familiar…
Sound familiar? It is. Earlier this yr, Apple complained that the EU DMA rules, which required the App Store to be opened to sideloading for the primary time, posed a privacy and security risk. The iPhone maker also disabled progressive web apps (PWAs) within the EU – a move that developers complained about. In the tip, the EU said that the way in which Apple handled PWAs didn’t violate the DMA rules, prompting Apple to reverse its decision.
Why did Apple withdraw its AI features from the EU?
Apple says interoperability with other products would put iPhone users in danger. Apple’s concerns concerning the interoperability rules imposed by the DMA “seem to be justified,” says security researcher Tommy Mysk. “It’s clear that Apple Intelligence will favor Apple products. It is expected to be more integrated with Apple Music, for example.”
There is a risk that the DMA could force Apple to permit similar integrations with other music services like Spotify, Mysk says. This could bring risks because Apple loses control over security if it hands over responsibility to a different company.
And the identical goes for iPhone mirroring. “The DMA could force Apple to support Windows – it could mean that iPhone users who use Windows should also be able to use iPhone mirroring on their PCs,” says Mysk.
But what concerning the data protection regulation?
Other tech giants like Meta and Google have delayed the launch of their AI offerings within the EU since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) doesn’t allow the required level of functionality. AI modes require huge amounts of knowledge to operate and this could possibly be a breach of strict EU data protection rules. Would Apple’s AI product face similar scrutiny?
The iPhone maker has highlighted the privacy and security points of its AI offering, saying its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) data processing model is exclusive.
But AI tools are still “tricky” in relation to data protection, Musk says. “Google and X have delayed the launch of their AI tools in the EU, so it was to be expected that Apple would also be cautious,” says Mysk. “Generative AI technologies require data for training and need to collect further data from users for training. The GDPR will raise many questions in this regard, especially around the right to be forgotten.”
And after all, Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT features on iPhones, which has raised further privacy concerns.
I actually have reached out to Apple for comment and can update this text if the iPhone maker responds.
Many people can be dissatisfied by the delay – especially EU users who need to update their iPhone to make the most of the brand new features. Apple will definitely be certain they will access these features, however the iPhone maker must be certain it stays ahead of its competitors in relation to security and privacy. After all, based on Apple, that’s its promise and its unique selling point in AI.
