Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Italy Opens DMA Probe Into Apple Over iCloud Backup Access

The inquiry could lead Brussels to enforce the EU Digital Markets Act with fines or new rules for platform interoperability.

Overview

  • Italy’s competition authority, the AGCM, opened the probe on Tuesday to test whether Apple gives third-party consumer cloud services the same system‑level access that iCloud gets.
  • The investigation names Apple Inc., Apple Distribution International Ltd and Apple Italia and focuses on whether iOS and iPadOS features that enable full device backups are reserved for iCloud.
  • The AGCM said it will forward its preliminary findings to the European Commission, which is the sole enforcer of the DMA and can impose fines up to 10% of a company’s global annual turnover.
  • Apple has previously delayed rolling out new Siri AI features in the EU while arguing that some interoperability demands would harm device security and user privacy.
  • If the Commission acts on Italy’s report, the case could set an EU‑wide precedent for forcing deeper platform interoperability and change how rival cloud providers serve iPhone and iPad users.