- The EU has warned Apple to stop blocking media content based on where the user lives.
- App Store, iTunes Store, Music, Apple Arcade, Books and Podcasts are mentioned in the report.
- Apple has a month to respond with suggestions on how to improve.
The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, warned Apple to desist from geo-blocking activities that it calls “discriminatory.”
In a press release published on the European Commission's official website, the Commission warned Apple to discontinue its practice of blocking content from Apple Media Services based on where the user lives.
Apple Media Services comprises Apple's digital stores and streaming services, including the App Store, Apple Arcade, Music, iTunes Store, Books and Podcasts.
It's no secret that Apple tailors and restricts the content delivered through these services to specific national and regional markets, but this is rarely considered a form of discrimination.
However, the European Commission and the EU Consumer Protection Network have notified Apple that these actions could contravene two EU regulations.
The EU geo-blocking regulation prohibits “unjustified discrimination” against an EU customer on the grounds of nationality, residence or place of establishment when providing goods or services to customers in a different member state.
The Services Directive contains similar protections that prohibit discriminatory provisions based on a customer's nationality or place of residence.
Apple apparently generally hates cooperating with authorities if it can avoid doing so (see the company's long history with the FBI), but the EU has already managed to twist the arm of what was once the most valuable company in the world.
It is generally accepted that pressure from the EU was the main reason Apple switched to USB-C from the proprietary Lightning port. Although the rest of the mobile industry had long since switched to USB-C, the Lightning port served as a valuable source of revenue for Apple through first-party sales and the “Made for iPhone” licensing scheme.
However, the EU announced a regulation in 2022 forcing all device manufacturers to adopt USB-C by the end of 2024, to reduce e-waste; Apple delivered on the iPhone 15 lineup in 2023. Additionally, the EU has successfully forced Apple to enable sideloading. of apps and third-party app stores on iPhones sold in Europe.
We'll likely see Apple come back into line with these regulations, although there could be some consequences down the road: Apple's intelligence is still missing from EU iPhones, and Apple could continue to withhold features in retaliation for strict regulations. However, at this point this is mostly a guess.
Apple has been given a month to respond to the European Commission, with suggestions on how to ease its own geo-blocking practices. Until then, be sure to stay up to date with our iPhone coverage for the latest updates.