Civil society and free software developers support iOS interoperability

It’s an exciting day for interoperability in the EU! The European Commission has been consulting over Christmas on its proposed measures under the Digital Markets Act, requiring Apple to open up specific functionality in iOS to third-party connected devices (like smart watches, glasses, homes, cars…)

Article 6(7) of the DMA requires the largest tech firms (“gatekeepers”) with designated operating systems or virtual assistants to open up all the functionality available to their own software to third parties, while protecting OS integrity and complying with European laws such as the GDPR and Cybersecurity Act. I was pleased to make a minor contribution to a consultation response with colleagues from Article 19, European Digital Rights, Data Rights, Free Software Foundation Europe and other independent researchers, published this morning.

I have also been commissioned separately by Meta/Reality Labs to write an independent expert report on the security, privacy and integrity implications of the Commission’s measures, and similar future DMA interoperability mandates. That work is progressing nicely, and I used the first part of it to inform my own, personal response to the consultation (in two parts — the iOS requirements, and the process Apple uses to deal with interoperability requests from developers). My final report should be published in early February.