Google’s Grace Period for Android Compliance
Today, the European Union ordered Google to give its AI rivals greater access to Android, the open-source operating system that powers billions of devices worldwide. The demand is hardly surprising. It may look like a defeat on paper for Google, which has spent years resisting exactly this kind of access, but it is a regulatory win. It’s also a sign that Google may have outmaneuvered Apple by playing Brussels’ regulatory game far more shrewdly.
Apple’s Compliance Challenge with Siri AI
When Apple announced its long-awaited Siri AI assistant last month, it made a big point of saying the feature would not launch in Europe because of the DMA. As with Android, the Commission said Apple would need to give third-party assistants comparable access to key systems, features, and data to those of Siri AI. Apple argued that doing so “would be irresponsible” and create unacceptable privacy and security risks. The company said it asked the Commission for 18 months to build a compliant version and introduce the required interoperability on a “gradually rolling” basis. The Commission rejected that proposal.
