By Jess Yates
The EU recently passed the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which outlines objective criteria for gateway companies such as Apple and Microsoft that have a huge hold over the tech industry. These gateway companies are determined by their economic, intermediation, and market positions. The following blog post will discuss some of the changes being put into place by the EU and how this will affect the UK, as well as the change being enforced by the UK.
USB-C Chargers by 2024
One rule brought in by the DMA is that all phones manufactured and sold after autumn 2024 must use USB-C charging ports. This may not seem like a huge change right now, however, this switch will save consumers a lot of money and reduce the amount of electronic waste produced – which currently totals 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes per year.
Along with our phones, the same rules will apply to other devices such as cameras, headphones, e-readers, and many others. These changes have already begun to come into place ahead of the autumn deadline, and can be seen through Apple’s switch to USB-C in the new iPhone15 series, despite opposing the law back in 2022.
Third Party Applications by 2027
Removing exclusion from the tech industry is an important part of the changes being made by the DMA and many other acts, bills, and legislations being passed in the EU, UK and America. All gateway companies, under the new DMA, must allow end users to download third-party applications or app stores on their devices within the EU. This will have added benefits for developers by allowing easier access and flexibility across platforms.
Unfortunately, the UK has yet to show any sign of following the EU with this change.
One company that has decided to make use of this is Meta, FaceBook’s parent company. Meta has begun to implement the idea of allowing people to download applications straight from the advertisement on FaceBook. This would mean users could download apps without being kicked out of their current app to open the Play Store. The pilot scheme for these new ads started at the end of 2023 with select developers using the pilot scheme on Android devices to test the functionality of this new software. Meta isn’t alone in its thoughts of app distribution, Microsoft has also suggested the idea of an alternate store for games on iOS and Android.
Removable Batteries by 2027
Moving towards their new ‘right to repair’ movement, the EU is pushing companies to make products that allow easy access for DIY repairs. This includes the use of a removable battery. The aim is to regulate the lifecycle of a battery from production to recyclement, reaching set targets for several areas including waste collection, lithium recovery from waste, and recycling efficiency. This is one part of the EU’s Circular Economy Package (CEP). As part of CEP, batteries will need to be removable and replaceable and all batteries will require labelling and information; currently the ideas are for a battery passport and QR code to track the lifecycle and show information about all batteries’ provenance. The UK has agreed with the ideas outlined by CEP and have begun to create and advance with their own version that is based on the EU’s whilst also complying with their Resource & Waste Strategy.
These requirements may have their benefits, but to many it feels like a step backwards in the advancement of technology. A hardware engineer at Apple has recently spoken against this in an interview stating that a removable battery may cause more problems – for example compromising the battery due to the lack of water resistance and other problems. They are currently fixed by strong adhesives and sealants that protect the components from the outside world, a feature that many appreciate.
The legislation reads ‘commercially available tools are considered to be tools available on the market to all end-users without the need for them to provide evidence of any proprietary rights and that can be used with no restriction, except health and safety-related restrictions’ meaning the issue could be solved with an out of the box solution. This is already being approached by some companies including Apple, Samsung, Google and Nokia who have all released their repair kits. These however are not cheap, for example, Apple will allow you to buy the equipment and components you need to fix your devices with products ranging in prices up to £250. There is an option to hire the equipment for a week which is offered for £54.90, a bit more affordable for something that needs an urgent fix.
Conclusion
These are just three of the many changes coming into effect over the next three years thanks to the Digital Markets Act. Some of these changes will take effect in the UK as well as the EU, and some have been adopted into our own policies.
As the EU proves that each of the changes made under the DMA is a change for the better, it is hoped that others outside the EU will follow suit and adopt the policies. Either way, these changes will have a huge impact on our economy and our environment. To find out more about the Digital Markets Act, go to https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/index_en
