Apple on Europe's order on opening up to rivals: 'These deeply flawed rules...'

Apple has launched a legal challenge against an order from the Eu ropean Union (EU), which mandates the tech giant to open its tightly controlled ecosystem to rival companies like Meta and Google . Apple, calling the Digital Markets Act (DMA) "deeply flawed", contends that the EU's demands are "unreasonable" and will "hamper innovation."

According to a report by news agency Reuters, Apple said the EU's requirements create "a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation".

"These requirements will also hand data-hungry companies sensitive information, which poses massive privacy and security risks to our EU users," Apple said in a statement.

"These deeply flawed rules that only target Apple - and no other company - will severely limit our ability to deliver innovative products and features to Europe, leading to an inferior user experience for our European customers," the company added.

Companies including Meta, Google, Spotify and Garmin have reportedly sought access to Apple user data, a key point of contention for the iPhone maker.

What European Commission ruled in March
The European Commission, in March, had outlined specific requirements for Apple to comply with the DMA, a legislation designed to curb the market dominance of major technology firms.

The order specifically compels Apple to grant rival manufacturers of smartphones, headphones and virtual reality headsets access to its proprietary technology and mobile operating system.

This access would enable these devices to connect seamlessly with Apple's iPhones and iPad tablets. Furthermore, the Commission has established a detailed process and timeline for Apple to respond to interoperability requests from app developers.

The report said that while this legal battle is anticipated to span several years in court, Apple will be required to comply with the EU order in the interim.