The EU's Digital Markets Act is turning into a nightmare for Apple. You may have been following the back and forth on how third-party app stores operate, but it goes far beyond that. For instance, Apple might have to display a browser choice interface, akin to what Microsoft did on Windows systems a decade ago. And that's not all.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball noted comments from Margrethe Vestager, head of the "Fit for the Digital Age Europe" initiative at the European Commission. They suggest that Apple should not only offer choice in which apps to install and use but also in which apps to uninstall.
Vestager specifically emphasized the "Photos" app, but there are currently several such apps deeply integrated into the iOS system. Perhaps too deeply integrated. Sure, "Photos" is a gallery app, but it also serves as a file picker when you're trying to share photos or videos.
As you know, iOS allows you to share either the entire photo library or individual photos and videos from within an app, including files stored locally and those uploaded to iCloud. Removing this functionality from iOS and allowing third-party apps to take its place could pose a significant challenge.
On the other hand, the DMA requires Apple to fully open up iOS APIs and functionalities, including mobile payments, app installation, and ostensibly, everything that photos can access.
This mirrors the situation Microsoft faced in the early 2000s. Internet Explorer was a core component of Windows, making it impossible for users to uninstall it. The U.S. Department of Justice objected to this and filed a lawsuit against Microsoft. Microsoft settled and made Windows more open to third-party software. Browser choice screens came later, driven by the EU.
As VistaGate puts it: The current version of iOS cannot uninstall the following apps: App Store, Camera, Messages, Phone, Photos, Safari, and Settings. Apple has been opening up to third-party app stores and will adopt RCS later this year, along with allowing third-party web browsers. However, this doesn't mean these apps can easily divorce from iOS entirely (for example, other browsers might need to take on WebView responsibilities).
