After Lightning Port, EU Targets Apple's iPhone and iPad Systems, Demands Greater Access for Third-Party Developers

Apple Inc’s AAPL iPhone and iPad operating systems have drawn European regulatory attention.

On Thursday, the European Commission initiated two specification proceedings to help Apple comply with its interoperability obligations under the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA’).

Apple must ensure free interoperability to third-party developers and businesses to alleviate the regulator’s antitrust concerns.

The Commission will complete the proceedings within six months from their commencement.

In 2021, the European Commission proposed a rule requiring all smartphones to adopt USB-C ports for physical charging.

Also Read: EU Rules Could Make USB-C Chargers Mandatory, Apple iPhones May Need Redesign

Big Tech companies, including Apple, Google parent Alphabet Inc GOOG GOOGL, Meta Platforms Inc META, and Amazon.Com Inc AMZN, have faced global regulatory scrutiny for allegedly stifling competition with their “walled gardens,” as they strive to boost their revenue and profits.

Apple faced regulatory scrutiny for making its operating systems compatible with only Apple hardware, citing better user security.

Google faced antitrust probes over its Search market dominance by paying smartphone companies to make its search engine the default option on their web browsers.

U.S. regulators initiated a probe into Nvidia Corp NVDA for alleged influence in the artificial intelligence chip market.

Meta Platforms recently came under the EU scanner for alleged monopolizing the classified advertising market.

It is worth noting that Google won its appeal against the European Commission’s antitrust fine for its online search advertising business.

Price Action: AAPL stock is trading higher by 3.76% to $226.98 at the last check on Thursday.

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Photo via Apple