Apple Delays Some iOS 26 Features in the EU Over Regulatory Challenges
If you’re in the EU, don’t be surprised when your iPhone skips a few of iOS 26’s flashier features
It’s not often that Apple holds back on shiny new features, but this time, Europe won’t be getting the full iOS 26 experience. The company has announced it will delay the rollout of certain tools in the EU, citing regulatory pressure and what it sees as the unintended consequences of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
One of the delayed features is the “visited places” tool, an encrypted location tracker designed to privately record a user’s movements. At a workshop in Brussels, Apple’s VP of Legal, Kyle Andeer, said the DMA makes it more difficult to launch these features safely, arguing that the law “creates real privacy, security, and safety risks to our users.” Apple says it’s still reviewing how many features may be affected, but delays are already confirmed for some.
This tension isn’t new. Apple has been in a long tug-of-war with EU regulators, especially after the Commission ordered it in March to open up nine iOS features to allow better compatibility with third-party apps and services. Apple’s response? An appeal, claiming the changes would compromise the very security the company is known for.
And it’s not just Apple.
Google is also under fire from the European Commission for allegedly falling short of antitrust obligations, particularly around how it displays search results. The common thread here is Big Tech’s discomfort with sweeping new rules that aim to level the playing field in digital markets.
The DMA’s intention is to prevent gatekeeping behaviour by dominant tech firms, but companies like Apple see it as regulatory overreach that could weaken user protections. The EU, meanwhile, argues that interoperability and competition shouldn’t come at the cost of user freedom or innovation.
While Apple maintains that it's working on solutions to comply, the delays highlight a broader shift: European regulators are no longer just nudging tech giants, they’re forcing them to adjust course. For users in the EU, this means some of the latest iOS features will be on hold, at least for now. But for Apple, this may only be the beginning of a longer compliance battle.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
