The EU and Apple CEO Tim Cook held "constructive" talks after their Siri AI dispute in Europe
European technology chief Henna Virkkunen held "constructive" talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook this week, a European Commission spokesperson said on Wednesday, after the two sides clashed over the roll-out of Siri AI in Europe.
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EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen and Apple CEO Tim Cook held "constructive" talks after their dispute over Siri AI in Europe.
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Apple says EU competition rules delayed Siri AI and other features, while the European Commission says Apple failed to meet interoperability requirements.
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The dispute reflects growing tensions between the EU and U.S. tech companies over stricter European digital regulations.
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Europe generated nearly 27% of Apple's sales last year, making the outcome important for the company's products and regional business.
EU regulators and Apple traded barbs last month over competition rules that the US company says have stopped it releasing its upgraded assistant Siri AI in the bloc, making it unavailable for iPhone and iPad users in the region.
"We can confirm that the call between EVP Virkkunen and Mr Tim Cook took place. It was a constructive exchange on topics of common interest, on which the work continues," the European Union spokesperson said in a statement.
More stringent European tech regulation has become a bone of contention between EU capitals and Washington, where US President Donald Trump has criticized the tougher rules and steep fines as damaging the interests of US Big Tech.
The iPhone maker has said its Siri AI would not be available initially in the EU on iPhones or iPads and faulted the Commission for refusing to engage constructively to ensure privacy and security on Apple's devices.
The Commission has blamed Apple, saying it had been unable to develop "interoperability" to meet EU standards. Europe accounted for nearly 27% of Apple's total sales in its last fiscal year. The company does not break out sales for the EU.
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Apple has said that Europe's Digital Markets Act has forced it to postpone the roll-out of several features in the EU, including iPhone mirroring to Mac and live translation with AirPods as well as location-based features in Maps.
The DMA aims to rein in Big Tech, give rivals more leeway to compete and consumers more choice. DMA breaches can lead to fines of as much as 10% of a company's global annual turnover.
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