Apple plans to make significant changes to iOS, including its products and services, to fulfil EU requirements set in the Digital Markets and Services Act. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will open the key elements, which means iPhone and iPad users can download apps through third-party app stores and websites.
Apple will apply the changes in the 27 European Union member countries, and Apple will expand the services to more countries in the near future.
The plans will come in iOS 17 in 2023. Apple needs to comply with the Digital Markets Act fully until 2024. The company will open the access of the NFC chip, the camera, Find My Network, and the AirTag to new web browsing engines for iPhones and iPads.
The Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act aim the better privacy protection and remove some invasive targeted advertising. According to Cupertino, it won’t abide by the law that comes into force on January 1, 2024. In that case, regulators might slap a fine of 10% of the total worldwide turnover, with 20% for repeat offenses.