Apple may be forced to share this ‘exclusive’ feature with Android users

Apple

In the last few years, the European Union has been making life difficult for Apple. First, it forced the company to ditch the lightning port and replaced it with a Type-C port. So much so that none of the Apple products now have a lightning port. Now, it seems like the EU wants Apple to further open its high-walled gardens to other platforms. The EU recently submitted a draft for interoperability rules for tech companies. An important point mentioned is regarding Apple’s AirDrop feature.

The AirDrop feature allows users to exchange files between iOS devices and Apple devices. AirDrop allows users to transfer files, such as photos, URLs, or documents, between nearby AirDrop-capable Apple devices, such as between iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Apple Vision Pro and Apple Watches.

The EU wants Apple to provide effective interoperability with the AirDrop feature. “Apple shall implement an interoperability solution that provides third parties with access to the same AirDrop feature,” said the EU. Third parties mean Android or even Windows platform. “Apple shall allow third-party connected physical devices to discover nearby iOS devices using the communication protocols available to and used by AirDrop on

iOS devices, including, but not limited to, BLE, NFC, or P2P Wi-Fi (AWDL or Wi-Fi Aware),” the EU stated. Furthermore, it also said that Apple should allow third-party devices to be “be discovered by

AirDrop on nearby iOS devices in the same way Apple devices are discovered,using the communication protocols available to and used by AirDrop on iOS devices, including, but not limited to, BLE, NFC, or P2P Wi-Fi (AWDL or Wi-Fi Aware), as applicable.”

If the EU does manage to implement interoperability protocols, then AirDrop won’t remain an Apple-exclusive feature.