EU’s latest push could make iOS and Android besties

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Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

• The EU is pressing Apple to open up its ecosystem by letting third parties access APIs and technologies currently exclusive to the iPhone.
• If the tech giant complies, features like AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic audio switching could debut on Android.
• The EU also wants iOS to offer rivaling smartwatches the same set of privileges currently limited to the Apple Watch.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) has been gradually dismantling Apple’s tight grip in the European Union. Earlier this year, the company was forced to support third-party app marketplaces and payment methods on EU-based iPhones. It similarly switched to USB-C on the iPhone 16 and 15 series due to the same pressure. Nevertheless, the EU still finds the Apple ecosystem in its current form anticompetitive, and it’s pushing for an iOS that works better with Android phones.

The European Commission has published a document (via Bloomberg) highlighting the steps Apple should take to make its ecosystem interoperable with third-party rivals in the EU. Some of the proposed changes include bringing exclusive iOS features like AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic device switching when streaming audio to other operating systems, which could include Android. This would theoretically enable iPhone and Android phone users to seamlessly perform actions like exchanging files and casting media without relying on third-party apps.




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