Apple's Tim Cook: EU big tech rules threaten iPhone security

In a wide-reaching conversation, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke harshly about the European Union's proposed rules for big tech control, and also said he is excited about the potential for augmented reality to "enhance life" beyond just iOS.

At Europe's Viva Tech conference, the Apple chief executive recently sat down for a virtual "fireside chat" with Guillaume Lacroix, CEO of digital media company Brut. During the interview, Cook covered a range of topics, including privacy, Apple's pandemic responses, and future AR endeavors.

On Apple AR, Cook said that the company has been working with the technology for a while on iPhone and iPad, and that he's generally excited about its ability to "enhance life." Cook added that, in the future, "we'll see where [AR] goes in terms of products."

Cook didn't offer much in terms of substantial information beyond stating that, at Apple, there "always has to be something up our sleeves."

The Apple chief executive also praised Europe's GDPR privacy regulations, as he has done in the past. Cook said that the regulations should be accepted as a "standard" around the globe.

However, Cook has less enthusiastic words about upcoming antitrust legislation in Europe. That includes the Digital Markets Act, which Cook said wouldn't be in the "best interest of the user." The Apple chief executive said the proposal would force Apple to allow side-loading, which he says could threaten both the privacy and security of iOS devices.

"I mean, you look at malware as an example, and Android has 47 times more malware than iOS. Why is that? It's because we've designed iOS in such a way that there's one App Store and all of the apps are reviewed prior to going on the store," Cook said.

Cook also touted some of the ways that Apple has responded to the coronavirus pandemic, including the donations of face masks and personal protective equipment, as well as the launch of the Exposure Notification framework in collaboration with Google.

The Apple executive covers other topics, including taxes and disinformation, in the full interview.

Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast — and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.

If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.

AppleInsider is also bringing you the best Apple-related deals for Amazon Prime Day 2021. There are bargains before, during, and even after Prime Day on June 21 and 22 — with every deal at your fingertips throughout the event.

Latest Exclusives

Latest comparisons

8 Comments

anantksundaram 20390 comments · 18 Years

About 3 years ago

EU regulators are seriously a bunch of losers. The people I run into from all over the EU are mostly somewhere else on these issues, however.

It’s a matter of time, with the UK at the vanguard…

equality72521 184 comments · 12 Years

anantksundaram said:

EU regulators are seriously a bunch of losers. The people I run into from all over the EU are mostly somewhere else on these issues, however.
It’s a matter of time, with the UK at the vanguard…

Let’s hope.

crowley 10431 comments · 15 Years

And yet the compromises Apple makes for China... curiously silent Tim? The EU trying to make consumer-friendly rules to break up corporate power is a threat, but Chinese app censorship, data centre sharing agreements.... nothing to see here? As long as the money keeps flowing, everything's right as rain.

Give me a break.

osmartormenajr 286 comments · 11 Years

crowley said:

And yet the compromises Apple makes for China... curiously silent Tim? The EU trying to make consumer-friendly rules to break up corporate power is a threat, but Chinese app censorship, data centre sharing agreements.... nothing to see here? As long as the money keeps flowing, everything's right as rain.

Give me a break.

I've seen that point being thrown around a lot lately. Let's look at it from a different point:

The People's Republic of China is anything but their first name. It is a monocratic regime that exercises so much control over the lives of its citizens, I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around that. To do business in China you have to appease the Chinese Communist Party pantheon. That is a verifiable fact. There is no way around. That is true for corporations and countries, and I've yet to see anyone of those getting down from their high horses and putting their wallet where their principled mouths are.

On the other side we have the EU. Home to arguably the freest societies on this planet, and highest quality of living anywhere. The consumer tech market is absolutely dominated by US companies. That is due to historical factors, competence, and sometimes a bit of sleigh of hand. EU regulators are proposing protectionist measures, in a effort to boost their local tech industry, however misguided we may take their actions to be.

Now, this argument is that Apple (and only Apple, for that matter) should be as lenient to the whims of a free society as they are to the edicts of a brutal regime. And that's because ... ? Every country and company in the world are—right now—turning a blind eye to the Chinese regime. That's because they buy a lot of our stuff, and we buy a lot of theirs.

Now explain to me again how that makes Apple an hypocrite? Or any person, company or country buying Chinese products? Or anyone selling stuff to China? But yeah... let's thrash this or that company, for doing exactly what we all do, and support in one way or another, by action or inaction, every single day. It's called reality, you are welcome to join us anytime! It's not right, neither fair, but it IS. In the end of the day, we all need to make our money.

It must be really cozy inside this little bubble of yours! Never needing to follow a chain of thought all the way through.

mcdave 1927 comments · 19 Years

crowley said:

And yet the compromises Apple makes for China... curiously silent Tim? The EU trying to make consumer-friendly rules to break up corporate power is a threat, but Chinese app censorship, data centre sharing agreements.... nothing to see here? As long as the money keeps flowing, everything's right as rain.

Give me a break.

Authority issues?

There is a fundamental consistency in Apple’s behaviour; saving customers from sycophantic exploitation. The worlds biggest problem that nobody but Apple & China are addressing.