Tech giants are under a magnifying glass at the European Union, and that is a reason for Apple to postpone more and more iOS functions. Strict rules hinder Apple and lead to decide not to release some iOS 26 functions in the EU for the time being.
For example, the ‘Visited places’ in tickets is not activated for European users for the time being, but there are even more functions that Apple users in the EU have been waiting for some time. Apple has now Opposite The Wall Street Journal given more clarity.
Stricter rules in the EU
Apple has announced to The Wall Street Journal that it will sometimes take longer before certain functions are available in the European Union. Due to stricter regulations, it is in some cases more complicated for Apple to introduce new functions directly in Europe.
The company has been closely followed by the European Commission for some time, especially since the arrival of the Digital Markets Act. This legislation is intended to stimulate competition and to ensure that large companies such as Apple, Meta and Google give other developers equal access to their platforms.
iOS 26 functions postponed
Visited Places in Apple Cards: This new function automatically keeps track of which locations you have visited, such as restaurants, parks, shops and museums. All these places are displayed in a handy overview so that you can find a location where you have been faster. This function is not being rolled out in the EU for the time being, why is unclear for the time being. Some apps already offer this overview.
Live activities for Mac: Another function that does not come to macOS is live activities. This requires synchronous iPhone display and this function is still not available in the EU. The search for iPhone apps via Spotlight will also not be available in the EU.
An Apple spokesperson told WSJ that they are still investigating which functions can or cannot be released in the EU. The aim is to make the functions available as quickly as possible, but since the Digital Markets Act this is considerably delayed in some cases.
Opening AirDrop and AirPlay
Apple must also allow alternatives to AirDrop and AirPlay from the EU. Because both function have deep roots in Apple’s software, it was not an option for the tech giant to eliminate the functions in the EU. Instead, they offer tools to make alternatives possible from this fall.
During the WWDC25 session ‘Supercharge Device Connectivity with Wi-Fi Aware’ became clear that Apple will support AirDrop alternatives. Developers can use the standard WiFi Aware protocol from iOS 26 and iPados 26.
Wi-Fi Aware is an open, industrial technology that allows devices to communicate directly with each other via WiFi, without the need for an internet connection or access point (router). This makes it possible for developers to build AirPlay and Airdrop-like functions in their own apps.
These functions are not available in the EU
- Synchronous iPhone display (iOS 18): a function with which you can fully operate the screen and the apps of your iPhone from your Mac, where you receive notifications and have interaction via your Mac keyboard and trackpad, while your iPhone remains locked and private.
- Screen control via Facetime (iOS 18): With screen sharing and screen control via Facetime you can share your screen during a one-to-one conversation and, if desired, have a familiar person remotely operated your iPhone or iPad to offer help, for example.
- Places visited in Apple Maps (iOS 26): This function automatically keeps track of which locations you have visited, such as restaurants, shops and museums, and shows them in an overview.
- Live activities for Mac (MacOS Tahoe): Stay informed via an interactive notification that is automatically updated. Requires a linked iPhone where synchronous iPhone display is set.
- Search iPhone apps on Mac (MacOS Tahoe): From macOS 26, Spotlight is given the opportunity to not only search for apps on your Mac, but also on those of your iPhone via synchronous iPhone display.
Apple Intelligence could not initially be activated in the EU due to concerns about privacy and safety arising from the strict requirements of the Digital Markets Act. Only via a detour you could activate the service, but this was not easy. Since this spring you can activate Apple Intelligence in the EU by changing the language of your device to English. Apple Intelligence will also be available in Dutch later this year.
Waiting for functions is the new standard
With every new function it develops and releases, Apple must first check whether it meets the strict EU rules. At the moment, those regulations mainly lead to a delay in making functions available in Europe. Not only does this lead to a delay, it can ultimately also lead to certain products or functions not appear at all and in the worst case: that existing possibilities disappear.