The European Commission (EC) has issued a directive mandating that Apple must comply with the interoperability requirements of devices, instructing iOS to support third-party device connections such as smartwatches, headphones, and TVs to access various capabilities equivalent to using Apple’s devices, such as notifications, P2P connectivity, NFC, and easy pairing.
In December of last year, the EC released a consultation document regarding this directive, aiming to enable third-party device manufacturers to innovate and cater to users in Europe. The EC has set a deadline for Apple to support notification capabilities on third-party devices equal to those of its own devices by the end of this year, while other capabilities like pairing, allowing apps to run in the background, and more by the end of 2026.
Apple has expressed disagreement with this directive, labeling it overly complex, resulting in delays in releasing new innovative features to European users and having to provide these features for free to companies that did not participate in their development, ultimately impacting users in Europe negatively. Companies will negotiate with the EC moving forward.
Source: European Commission
TLDR: The European Commission directive requires Apple to support third-party device connections and capabilities by set deadlines, but Apple disagrees with the complex rules and potential negative impact on European users.
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