Apple Delays iOS 26 Features in EU, Blames Privacy Risks

Apple said it will delay offering some of its new software features to users in the European Union this year, citing that regulations are making it harder to bring them to market in the region, reports the WSJ. The company's lawyers said Monday that tools such as an encrypted "visited places" service, which tracks and records where users have been, won't be rolled out in the EU when it releases its iOS 26 software update later this year.



Speaking at a workshop with EU officials and developers in Brussels, Kyle Andeer, Vice President of Apple Legal, stated, "We've already had to make the decision to delay the release of products and features we announced this month for our EU customers." Andeer argued that complying with the DMA's requirements creates "real privacy, security, safety risks to our users." The company said it is still analyzing which features may be impacted but is working to find solutions to deliver them as quickly as possible.


The announcement comes after the European Commission ordered Apple in March to open up nine specific iOS connectivity features to improve interoperability with third-party devices. Apple has since appealed the order, stating that the requirements threaten the foundation of its products and pose security risks to European customers.

This is just one front in Apple's ongoing regulatory battle in the EU. In April, the Commission fined Apple €500 million for violating anti-steering rules, finding that the company unfairly blocked developers from directing users to better offers outside the App Store. In response, Apple revised its business terms for developers in the EU this month.

During the Brussels workshop, Andeer's claims about security were challenged by a representative from the campaign group Open Web Advocacy, who questioned how Apple could credibly use security as a defense when fraudulent apps have appeared on the App Store. An EU official at the meeting noted that the regulator and Apple remain divided on the scope of the DMA and the potential security risks.

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