When bureaucracy meets technology: Apple considers withdrawing Apple AirDrop in the EU due to new digital rules. No, this isn't dystopian science fiction - this is Brussels in action.
Dispute between Apple and the European Commission has been dragging on for quite some time. Will Apple now withdraw from the EU – Apple AirDrop? The situation is getting worse. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires tech giants to make certain features available to third parties – which translates to: »Hey, Apple, let others on your playground slide!"Leave it to everyone."
Apple says, “No problem, but then the playground may close.” And if they lose the lawsuit, there’s a real chance they’ll remove AirDrop from European iPhones. Yes, you read that right – the feature everyone uses to quickly share pictures with friends at festivals, birthdays or – let’s be honest – send memes during a meeting could be gone.
What's the problem? AirDrop limits the competition!
The European Union believes that Apple is restricting competition by limiting features like AirDrop or automatic pairing with AirPods. In other words: iOS has too many privileges and does not play fair with other manufacturers.
Apple argues the opposite – that forced interoperability (oh, that wonderful bureaucratic word) stifles innovation and leads to a “worse user experience.” In other words: if you force us to, we’ll remove a feature rather than share it with others.
And although they have been talking to the European Commission, Apple's latest complaint shows that an alliance is not (yet) in sight.
What would this mean for European users?
The scenario is not that far-fetched: new features like Apple Intelligence are already unavailable in the EU. Nor is iPhone screen mirroring on a Mac – a feature that has already become a given outside of Europe. Now AirDrop could suffer the same fate.
Some analysts even speculate that Apple could go even further – removing automatic pairing with AirPods, perhaps even preventing the sale of devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods in the European market. Although… let’s be honest, even Apple probably doesn’t want to cut such a big slice of the European pie.
European regulation: consumer protection or digital checkmate?
Let's remember how the EU already forced Apple to replace its legendary Lightning connector with the more universal USB-C. And as hard as it may be to admit, this was a pretty rational step.
But when regulation starts to interfere with the operation of the functions themselves – and thus the user experience – many people ask: have we already crossed the line of common sense? After all, many a newer car owner already knows how to trip over a start-stop system or a DPF filter, while vacuum cleaners now barely move dust from the floor – due to the power limit of 1400W, of course. But an electric car with 1000 horsepower? No problem!
Conclusion: The EU is becoming a digital hell
If Apple turns off AirDrop in Europe, it may be just a symbolic – but very tangible – reminder that the relationship between technological innovation and regulation is increasingly tense. Maybe it's time for Brussels and Cupertino to stop just writing lawsuits and send each other an AirDrop file in peace for once. While it's still possible.
What do you think – is regulation necessary, or will it end up costing us convenient features and technological freedom? Share your opinion below.
