Apple is again in the spotlight of the European Union, and this time the blow is blunt. The European Commission has published a list of the demands that the Cupertino company must implement in iOS 19 and iOS 20 to comply with the Digital Markets Lawwhich entered into force March 2024.
Apple changes in Europe
These measures force Apple to open your ecosystem further to the competition, allowing third -party devices and services to access functions that until now were exclusive to the iPhone. The company's reaction has not been waiting and, as we could all intuit, they have not taken it at all.
One of the most significant changes is the obligation to allow Smart Watches of third parties They can receive and manage notifications from the iPhone before the end of 2025. Until now, only the Apple Watch had total integration with iOS, but with this new regulation, Apple must facilitate that other manufacturers, such as Samsung or Garmin, offer a similar experience without restrictions. This adjustment, which is expected to arrive in iOS 19.2 or even before, will be an important changes.
Another key point is the opening of automatic audio change technology, a function currently enjoying the Airpods and certain beats models. As of June 2026, Apple will have to allow third -party headphones to access this function in iOS 19.4 or previous versions. This means that marks such as Sony or Bose can offer a more fluid connection experience between Apple devices, something that until now had been an advantage point for airpods within the ecosystem.
But the conditions do not end there. The European Commission also forces Apple to Allow Airdrop Alternatives Before June 2026, which would open the door for other manufacturers to offer similar services to share files without depending on the Apple system. In addition, the company must allow alternatives to AirPlay Before the arrival of iOS 20, so televisions and other devices from other manufacturers will benefit.
The war between Apple and the EU continues
The company's reaction has been overwhelming. In a statement, Apple has described these measures as “harmful to our products and for European users.” The company argues that the decisions of the commission “wrap Apple in Bureaucracy, slow down our ability to innovate in Europe and force us to give our functions to companies that do not have to follow the same rules.”
This clash between Apple and the EU is nothing new. In recent years, the company has had to yield on several fronts, from the opening of the App Store to third -party stores to the adoption of the USB-C port as a new standard on the iPhone.
iOS 19 will be presented at the WWDC 2025 and will reach the public in September of this year. An annual cycle later, in 2026, iOS 20 will be launched with the last changes required by the EU.
