Alex Omenye
Apple has accused Meta on Wednesday of making excessive demands for access to its software tools, raising concerns about potential risks to user privacy and security.
The public dispute highlights the intensifying competition between the two tech giants as they navigate new regulations under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act.
The DMA, which took effect last year, requires companies like Apple to allow rivals and app developers to inter-operate with their services or face penalties of up to 10% of their global annual revenue.
In a report, Apple disclosed that Meta has submitted 15 interoperability requests—more than any other company—for extensive access to Apple’s technology stack.
The iPhone maker alleged that many of Meta’s requests would compromise user privacy and security without directly benefiting Meta’s external devices, such as its Quest virtual reality headsets or smart glasses.
“Meta is seeking to alter functionality in ways that could enable access to sensitive user data, such as messages, emails, call logs, app usage, photos, files, calendar events, and even passwords,” Apple said. The company pointed to Meta’s history of privacy fines in Europe as a basis for its concerns.
Meta countered Apple’s claims, accusing the iPhone maker of using privacy as a pretext to maintain its walled garden ecosystem. “What Apple is actually saying is they don’t believe in interoperability,” a Meta spokesperson said. “Every time Apple is called out for anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality.”
The European Commission, which oversees competition enforcement across the 27-member bloc, published preliminary findings on Wednesday regarding Apple’s obligations under the DMA. The findings proposed measures to ensure Apple provides a transparent process for assessing interoperability requests.
The Commission outlined steps for Apple to offer interoperability for all iOS notification functionalities, including compatibility with Apple Watch, Vision Pro, and future connected devices.
The measures also require Apple to maintain open communication with developers and establish a mechanism to resolve technical disputes impartially.
Stakeholders, including individuals, companies, and organizations, have until January 9 to provide feedback on the proposals. The EU is expected to announce its final decision on Apple’s compliance with the DMA in March 2024.
