50% Off! Beat the market in 2025 with InvestingProCLAIM SALE

Apple hits out at Meta's numerous interoperability requests

Published 19/12/2024, 10:52 am
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Apple logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
AAPL
-
META
-

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Apple on Wednesday hit out at Meta Platforms, saying its numerous requests to access the iPhone maker's software tools for its devices could impact users' privacy and security, underscoring the intense rivalry between the two tech giants.

Under the European Union's landmark Digital Markets Act that took effect last year, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) must allow rivals and app developers to inter-operate with its own services or risk a fine of as much as 10% of its global annual turnover.

Meta has made 15 interoperability requests thus far, more than any other company, for potentially far-reaching access to Apple's technology stack, the latter said in a report.

"In many cases, Meta is seeking to alter functionality in a way that raises concerns about the privacy and security of users, and that appears to be completely unrelated to the actual use of Meta external devices, such as Meta smart glasses and Meta Quests," Apple said.

Meta Quest is Meta's virtual reality headset, part of the company's ambition to own the computational platform that powers virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) devices.

"If Apple were to have to grant all of these requests, Facebook (NASDAQ:META), Instagram, and WhatsApp could enable Meta to read on a user's device all of their messages and emails, see every phone call they make or receive, track every app that they use, scan all of their photos, look at their files and calendar events, log all of their passwords, and more," Apple said.

It pointed to Meta's privacy fines in Europe in recent years as a cause of concern.

"What Apple is actually saying is they don't believe in interoperability," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.

"Every time Apple is called out for its anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality."

Separately, the European Commission - which in September said it would spell out how Apple must open up to rivals - published its preliminary findings on the issue late Wednesday evening, giving individuals, companies and organisations until Jan. 9 to provide feedback on its proposed measures for Apple.

The measures would require Apple to provide a clear description of the different phases, deadlines and the criteria and considerations that it would apply or consider in assessing interoperability requests from apps developers.

Apple should also provide developers regular updates and give and receive feedback regarding the effectiveness of its proposed interoperability solution while there would be a fair and impartial conciliation mechanism to address technical disagreement with Apple.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Apple logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

The Commission also set out the steps for Apple to provide interoperability with all functionalities of the iOS notifications feature available to Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro and any future Apple connected physical devices to its rivals as well.

A decision by the EU executive, which acts as the competition watchdog in the 27-country bloc, on whether Apple complies with the DMA's interoperability provision is expected in March next year.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.