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After a few lightning visits in the Netherlands yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook headed to Brussels today. Not surprisingly, a meeting with the European Commission was on the agenda.

In the news: Apple boss Tim Cook spotted in Brussels, two weeks after the launch of the iPhone 15.

Zoomed in: Cook went for coffee with European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton. They were probably talking mostly about the Digital Markets Act (DMA). After all, Apple is one of the tech giants that the European Commission has designated as a gatekeeper. Such platforms, starting next year, must comply with certain rules designed to promote competition.

  • For Apple, this is not so obvious, as the company has a long tradition of having its own products and devices that are not so compatible with those of its competitors. Under pressure from Europe, Cook changed tack for the new iPhone: the iPhone 15 waves goodbye to the Lightning port and now has the USB-C port that other smartphone brands use, eliminating the need for a separate cable for the iPhone.
  • Tech companies need to open up their devices to competitor software and hardware, Breton reiterated after the meeting. "Whether it's electronic wallets, browsers or app stores, consumers using an iPhone should be able to take advantage of competing services from different providers," the Frenchman stated.
  • Cook, who did not comment on the meeting, will no doubt have defended Apple's line: that Apple is building a rather closed ecosystem has to do with its focus on security and privacy.

Apple Store

Also on the agenda: as on a previous visit to Brussels, Tim Cook stopped by the local Apple Store. Yesterday in the Netherlands, the Apple boss visited the Jumbo-Visma cycling team and chipmaker NXP in Eindhoven, a supplier for the Apple Watch.

© The Content Exchange, source News