Is Europe clamping down on Apple’s AI ambitions?
Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, just launched during the American tech giant’s September event, have hit the shelves in Europe - with a catch. The wireless headphone’s much-hyped real-time translation feature will not be available to users based in the EU. This move, which has left many users disgruntled, highlights Brussels’ strict approach to regulating AI.
“It’s a feature I was looking forward to,” said Moïse, 68, waiting in line outside the Apple Store in Paris. ”Now you’re telling me that apparently it’s been banned, so I would like to know why.” Like Moïse, many other Apple fans in Europe are perplexed. On September 9, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook launched the AirPods Pro 3, the latest iteration of the company’s wireless in-ear headphones. Powered by artificial intelligence, these headphones are able to translate conversations taking place around users in real time - a long-awaited feature that would allow users to overcome language barriers. Despite the hype, the feature is currently unavailable in the EU.
A protectionist move from Brussels?
Apple did not provide further clarification with regards to this differential treatment towards its European users. However, the American tech giant has previously had run-ins with the EU due to the latter’s strict regulation on AI. Following European legislation in 2022, Apple was obliged to abandon its longstanding “Lightning” cables and charging ports on its devices to adopt the USB-C system in 2024.
A legal text that has been a point of contention for Apple, and other American tech giants, is the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Adopted in 2024, the DMA seeks to protect competitiveness in Europe’s tech sector - and it has already made its mark. Most recently, the legislation delayed the rollout of Apple’s own artificial intelligence, Apple Intelligence, on devices in the EU.
The iPhone maker deemed this law restrictive to such an extent that, in a response filed to a public consultation by the European Commission under the DMA in September, Apple said: "The DMA should be repealed while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place." The Commission, for its part, was “not surprised” by the demand, said EU digital affairs spokesman Thomas Regnier. "Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application," he added.
At the same time, the EU’s strict regulatory framework on AI, bolstered by the adoption of the AI Act in 2024, has also proven to be an obstacle for big tech companies looking to broaden their reach in Europe. Some have raised concerns that the EU runs the risk of stifling innovation in the single market as a result of its pervasive regulations. Is that truly the case? We spoke with Aurore Bonavia, a lawyer specialising in digital rights, to clear things up.
Bruno Esteban Garay
Translated by Tanishk Saha