Apple has formally appealed the €500 million ($820 million) fine imposed by the European Commission in April 2025 under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

It’s challenging accusations that its App Store rules illegally block developers from steering users to external payment options.

The company maintains that regulators are overreaching and claims the changes required by the DMA exceed what the law demands.

In response to the fine, Apple introduced revisions to its App Store policies in the EU, allowing links to external payment systems and implementing a two-tier fee structure for developers who choose alternative payment methods.

These changes are designed to comply with DMA requirements and avoid penalties.

One consequence of the tightening regulatory environment is that Apple’s Live Translation feature for its new AirPods models won’t be available to users in the EU at launch.

Apple has stated that the feature is “not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account country or region is also set to the EU”.

The restriction is tied to compliance concerns under the DMA and related regulatory frameworks.

Live Translation, introduced alongside the AirPods Pro 3 (and coming to compatible AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 models), allows real-time voice translation through the earbuds when paired with an iPhone running the latest OS.

Europe is a prime market for language-translating earbuds, but regulatory issues are slowing their launch

Those outside of the EU got the feature when iOS 26 became available on September 15.

That means Australians with AirPods Pro 3 can use them as a type of universal translation device right now.

The latest developments come after the EU’s DMA entered into force in 2023, designating Apple a “gatekeeper” and imposing obligations around app store fairness, interoperability, and user choice.

European consumer advocacy groups are keen for Apple to make the walls of its walled-garden ecosystem less formidable, while Apple is resisting these efforts.

Consumer advocate Sébastien Pant supports the DMA.

He told the BBC, “It’s important to try to tackle the kind of walled garden problem that we’ve had for years [and] try to provide consumers with more choice in the digital market.”

In response, Apple executive Greg Joswiak told the press, “They want to take the magic away of having a tightly integrated experience that Apple provides – and make us like the other guys.”

He went on to say of EU regulators, “They’re undermining innovation, they’re infringing our intellectual property and they’re damaging privacy and security.”

If Apple’s updated App Store terms satisfy the Commission, it may avoid further fines.

But if Brussels rules they fall short, Apple could face recurring penalties.

In the meantime, EU users are being left out of Apple’s headline features while the company negotiates compliance.