Apple has accused European regulators of unfairly targeting its closed ecosystem.
Executives claim the EU blocks users from enjoying the “magical, innovative experience” that defines the company.
“We face a serious threat in Europe,” said Greg Joswiak ahead of Apple’s latest product launches.
Apple insists its walled garden of hardware and software delivers safety and quality.
EU regulators argue the model shuts out rivals and harms fair competition.
Long dispute leads to huge penalty
Apple and Brussels have argued for years over competition rules.
In April, the EU fined Apple €500m for alleged anti-competitive conduct in its App Store.
The Digital Markets Act (DMA), adopted in 2022 and applied since 2024, takes aim at big tech.
For Apple, this means iPhones must work with headphones from other manufacturers.
The DMA also forces Apple to support notifications from third-party smartwatches.
It requires AirDrop to connect with other platforms.
“This benefits consumers,” said Sébastien Pant of BEUC, a coalition of consumer advocates.
He stressed the importance of greater choice in the digital market.
Apple highlights AirPods innovation
Apple has responded by promoting the strength of its new products.
It released the AirPods Pro 3 last week in the US, adding “Live Translation.”
The feature delivers instant translations through the earphones.
But Apple said European customers will not receive them for now.
The firm explained the function depends on AirPods and iPhone microphones working together.
Opening it to other devices would demand significant engineering work to protect security, privacy and integrity.
“They want to strip away the magic,” Joswiak told reporters in Cupertino.
“They want us to be like the others, not unique.”
Louder criticism from Apple
Apple usually avoids public disputes with regulators, citing their requests.
But it now speaks out, warning that EU rules damage users and developers.
On Friday, the European Commission rejected Apple’s attempt to overturn obligations to open the iPhone ecosystem.
Last month, Apple also told the UK’s competition authority not to mirror EU rules.
The CMA plans to act against the dominance of Apple and Google.
“European regulators are creating a worse experience for citizens,” Joswiak said.
“They undermine innovation, harm privacy, and violate intellectual property.”
Other firms delay EU features
Apple has already delayed Apple Intelligence features in Europe.
Pant noted that other tech companies also held back.
Meta, parent of Instagram and WhatsApp, postponed the launch of Threads in Europe.
It cited compliance with EU data rules as the reason.
