BRUSSELS, May 14, 2026, 14:03 CEST
- Apple has cautioned that the EU’s proposed rules targeting Google’s Android might actually undermine privacy, weaken security, and impact how devices perform.
- This dispute carries weight—Brussels is laying down the law on how competing AI assistants get access to key phone functions.
- The European Commission expects to reach its final verdict on the Android measures by July 27.
Apple is backing Google in a dispute with the European Union over AI access, cautioning that proposed rules requiring deeper Android integration with competing AI services may compromise security for users and devices. The warning was delivered in a submission to the European Commission, as officials in Brussels gathered input on Digital Markets Act provisions targeting Alphabet’s Google.
The case has taken on new urgency, with EU regulators wrapping up their feedback window late Wednesday and preparing to impose binding rules that may end up shaping how Apple handles software across its iPhone, iPad and Mac. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to rein in dominant online platforms—here, the focus is on “interoperability,” pushing Apple to allow competing software access to key operating-system functions.
Apple flagged “urgent and serious concerns” over the draft measures, warning they may jeopardize privacy, security, safety, and how devices run. The company also charged that the Commission is “redesigning an OS”—their term for operating system—by questioning technical decisions made by Google’s own engineers. Reuters
The Commission alleges Google is keeping core Android functions mostly to itself, channeling them into its own AI products like Gemini. Under the proposal, other AI services could tap into Android apps to do things like send email, order food, or share photos. The plan would also open the door for rival assistants to work with their own wake words.
Brussels is weighing if third-party AI services ought to tap into contextual data, app features, and both hardware and software resources to operate fast and smoothly. According to the consultation page, these proposals might let AI services manage installed apps, tweak things like screen brightness, and leverage on-device models—though everything depends on the final framework.
Last month, EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera argued the measures were set to offer Android users “more choice” in picking their AI services. Google’s Senior Competition Counsel Clare Kelly fired back, labeling the proposal an “unwarranted intervention” and warning it might bump up costs while undermining privacy and security. Reuters
Apple stepping in here stands out, mainly because Google—its top competitor in mobile software—is in the crosshairs. Still, Apple insists it’s got skin in the game: the rationale behind the case could easily spread to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The company’s position hasn’t shifted; it contends strict oversight of both hardware and software keeps users safe.
This dispute fits into a broader effort across Europe to curb major tech firms from shutting out competitors in AI. Meta, for its part, put a one-month offer on the table this week—rival AI chatbots can use WhatsApp’s business API free, at least while Meta works through separate antitrust talks with the Commission.
Apple is navigating a delicate moment. On April 30, the company announced a record $111.2 billion in revenue for its March quarter, with CEO Tim Cook pointing to “extraordinary demand” around the iPhone 17 lineup. Apple also greenlit another $100 billion in share repurchases. Apple
Before U.S. markets opened on Thursday, Apple shares traded at $298.87, with Alphabet sitting at $402.62, market data showed.
Apple and Google face the possibility that Brussels won’t scale back its proposed measures by much. The Commission plans to review industry feedback, with a final decision due by July 27. According to Reuters, violations under the DMA could cost companies as much as 10% of their yearly global turnover.
Regulators face a trade-off here. Loosen the rules too far, and AI firms could claim Europe’s showcase digital law falls short—failing to crack open the mobile strongholds of Apple and Google. Keep the rules sweeping, though, and Apple is almost certain to seize on the Android precedent to bolster its pushback against EU requirements for wider platform access.
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