The Italian Competition Authority is investigating Apple over its compliance with interoperability obligations as set out in the European Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The agency says in a statement on its website there’s evidence that third-party providers of consumer cloud may be treated equally Apple’s iCloud. This is because they appear to lack access to the same features used by or otherwise made available to iCloud, according to the Italian Competition Authority.
For example, the statements says “it appears that Apple does not allow alternative cloud storage services to use the iOS and iPadOS features enabling end users to perform a full backup of their devices’ data, while those same features are available to Apple’s iCloud.”
The Italian agency says that, per the DMA, Apple must ensure that third-party providers of consumer cloud are granted free and effective interoperability with the iOS and iPadOS operating systems and are given access under equal conditions to the same hardware and software features as those available to Apple’s iCloud.
The DMA — an overstepping piece of ridiculous legislation, in my opinion — is a regulation in force since November 2022 designed to ensure fair, open digital markets by restricting the power of dominant tech “gatekeepers”. It mandates that large platforms allow interoperability, third-party competition, and prevent self-preferencing, with non-compliance penalties up to 20% of global turnover.
Apple says the proposed measures pose risks to privacy, security and safety. And I think the tech giant is right.
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