Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 in April, and the new version will being Apple Intelligence to the European Union for the first time. However, two major features are still missing in the Release Candidate build that was released yesterday due to EU regulatory concerns.
Apple’s Release Candidate build of iOS 18.4, released on Monday, is identical to the final release version that will be released in April, as long as not deal killer bugs are discovered.
With the release of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, iPhone and iPad users will finally have access to several Apple Intelligence features, with the exception of iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing, due to the regulatory uncertainties due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
iPhone Mirroring allows users to mirror their iPhone to their Mac, allowing them to control their iPhone from their Mac Desktop. SharePlay Screen Sharing allows users to share their iPhone or iPad screen during a FaceTime call, allowing them to watch videos, listen to music, or browse apps together with other users.
Last summer, Apple announced that iOS users in the European Union wouldn’t be getting SharePlay Screen Sharing and iPhone Mirroring, as the “the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security.”
Last week, the European Commission ordered Apple to open up nearly all connectivity features to outside parties, which made Apple reluctant to open the above features to users in the EU, as they would probably be forced to open the screen-sharing technologies open to third-parties. This would mean Apple cannot control the technologies to keep everything fully secure.
