Apple’s recent approach to implementing the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) reflects a troubling trend of compliance theater rather than genuine reform. While the EU's regulations are designed to foster competition and user choice, Apple's strategy seems to hinge on the bare minimum required to meet regulatory demands, rather than embracing the spirit of the law.<p>The article from FSFE highlights that Apple's implementation, particularly in how it handles sideloading and alternative app stores, appears to prioritize maintaining its dominant market position rather than genuinely facilitating a more open digital ecosystem. By creating a complex and restrictive framework for third-party app distribution, Apple risks undermining the very objectives the DMA seeks to achieve: enhancing market competition and offering consumers more freedom.<p>This approach not only seems to stifle innovation but also places unnecessary barriers in front of developers and users alike, suggesting that Apple’s compliance efforts may be more about protecting its business model than supporting fair market practices. For the DMA to have its intended impact, it is crucial that tech giants like Apple go beyond mere legal compliance and actively contribute to a more competitive and transparent digital marketplace.