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iOS 18.4: iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing Still Missing in EU

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Apple is on the cusp of releasing iOS 18.4, which brings Apple Intelligence to the European Union for the first time. However, iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing is still missing from Apple's RC build of the operating system in the EU because of regulatory concerns.

iPhone Mirroring Thumb 2
Apple this week seeded to developers and beta testers its RC (Release Candidate) build of iOS 18.4, which is meant to be a near-final version that, unless major issues are found, will be the same as the public release expected in April.

With the upcoming software update, iPhone and iPad users in the EU will have access to Apple Intelligence features, with the AI suite of features also available in more languages. However, the RC build indicates that Apple is still leaving out iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing features in the EU due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

iPhone Mirroring lets users mirror their iPhone to their Mac, while SharePlay Screen Sharing lets users share their iPhone or iPad screen during a FaceTime call, enabling them to watch videos, listen to music, or browse apps together with others. It is not clear how long it will take Apple to expand these features to the EU, nor what changes Apple might have to make to introduce them under the DMA. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update readers if we hear back.

Tag: European Union

Top Rated Comments

surferfb Avatar
surferfb
13 months ago
The DMA chills innovation and here is a prime example. For those saying Apple is withholding the feature out of "spite" - no, it's not.

The feature is unavailable to the EU because releasing it there would mean that Apple is required by law to give third-party apps the ability to completely control a person's iPhone remotely - with all the safety, privacy, and security issues that brings. No way Apple ever releases it in the EU under those circumstances.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Dark-Signature
13 months ago
I am a member of the EU and unfortunately I have to say that this EU is shooting itself in the foot with its bureaucracy! Even if the intentions are honorable, the result will be that Europeans will feel more and more disgusted and vote for parties that will destroy the EU as it exists today... and unfortunately I have to say (from day to day) rightly so!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Luap Avatar
Luap
13 months ago
Is the EU really so bad that they need punishing with Apples AI tech? 🤣
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surferfb Avatar
surferfb
13 months ago

Yes, they love to use privacy to prop up their anti-competitive practices. Except that screen sharing API is already available in the EU - so this whole argument is just an example of Apple being a capricious monopoly - and it only strengthens the case for it being regulated.
Apple is not a monopoly in the EU. It has 30% marketshare, so pretty much the opposite of being a monopoly.

Do you have a source for your claim that there is an iOS API "already in the EU" that allows control of a user's iPhone?

And do you disagree that allowing a third-party, say Google for example, the ability to see and control everything on a user's iPhone has security or privacy implications?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surferfb Avatar
surferfb
13 months ago

Another American thinking the entire world needs to adhere to American values and standards. Narcissistic behavior.
I mean, you could literally make the same argument about what the EU is doing. Making tech giants change their products and services to adhere to EU values and standards.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
BigBlur
13 months ago

Agreed. I tried it out but stopped using it as I found it annoying for my iPhone notifications to be flooding my Mac as well.
You know you can customize it, right? You can make it so that only certain notifications go to your Mac and the rest stay on your iPhone.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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