Apple warns of more feature delays in Europe as it struggles to adapt its ecosystem to the EU’s strict Digital Markets Act (DMA). The company says the new regulations are adding “more complexity and more risks” for European users, forcing it to postpone several highly anticipated features.
Apple’s Latest Delay Announcement
In a statement published Wednesday, Apple confirmed that features like AI-powered Live Translation for AirPods, iPhone Mirroring, and Visited Places and Preferred Routes in Apple Maps will not arrive in Europe on schedule.
The reason? Apple argues that making these tools work with third-party devices, as required by the DMA, risks weakening user privacy and data security—two areas it has long positioned as central to its brand.
Why The DMA Matters
The Digital Markets Act is designed to stop tech giants like Apple, Google, and Meta from locking users into their ecosystems. By mandating interoperability, the EU wants iPhone features to work more seamlessly with non-Apple devices.
For Apple, however, this means rewriting how its products interact at a deep technical level. The company insists that in some cases, it hasn’t found a secure solution that would protect user data while meeting EU demands.
Features Facing Delays
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AI Live Translation on AirPods – meant to make real-time language translation effortless.
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iPhone Mirroring – a feature that syncs your iPhone display with a Mac.
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Apple Maps’ Visited Places & Preferred Routes – designed to improve personalization and navigation.
These innovations remain on hold in the EU, while they roll out as planned in other regions.
A Small Win For Interoperability
It’s not all bad news for European users. The latest iOS 26.1 beta suggests Apple is testing new interoperability features. One of the most notable is notification forwarding, which would allow iPhone alerts to appear on non-Apple smartwatches.
References to simplified pairing with third-party accessories also hint at small steps toward compliance, even if marquee features face delays.
What This Means For Apple Users In Europe
The tension between Apple’s walled-garden ecosystem and EU regulations is only just beginning. Users in Europe may continue to see delays in new product rollouts, while the rest of the world gets features first.
Still, these changes could reshape the future of Apple’s ecosystem in Europe, potentially opening the door for more cross-device compatibility than ever before.
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