Europe’s bureaucrats continue to do their best to ensure Apple is forced to sell the world’s worst operating system, announcing plans to force Apple to open up its systems even more than it already has.
In a triumph of bureaucratic doublespeak, the European Union doesn’t argue that it’s attempting to force the issue. Instead, it says it wants to “assist” Apple. “Today, the European Commission has started two specification proceedings to assist Apple in complying with its interoperability obligations under the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA’),” the group says. Then it goes on to insist: “Under the DMA, Apple must provide free and effective interoperability to third party developers and businesses with hardware and software features controlled by Apple’s operating systems iOS and iPadOS, designated under the DMA.”
Bureaucrats versus innovators
To some extent, this might not represent too big a change. The EU has been actively pursuing its edicts against the company; now, the DMA gives regulators new power in the form of specification proceedings. Under the DMA, these proceedings are prescriptive.