Apple must cease discouraging iPhone and iPad users from using third-party apps.

Apple is revamping its data collection consent prompts following accusations from Germany’s Federal Cartel Office that the design favors its own applications. When the App Tracking Transparency feature debuted with iOS 14.5, it reportedly cost social media platforms nearly $10 billion, as it shifted user tracking to an opt-in model. Now, as a designated “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple is under increased scrutiny to ensure fair competition.

The regulator claims that the current prompts lead users to decline consent for third-party apps while nudging them to agree to data sharing for Apple’s own services.

> In its initial evaluation, the Bundeskartellamt found that the design of the App Tracking Transparency prompt tends to push users towards refusing consent, while the Personalized Ads prompt encourages them to consent to data usage for advertising. Contributing factors include the use of specific symbols (like a warning hand), varying language (“app tracking” vs. “personalized advertising”), vague descriptions of data usage, differences in the space allocated to explain the benefits of data sharing, and the order in which options are presented.

Apple now has four months to revise the design and wording of these consent pop-ups. The planned updates aim to eliminate discouraging language and symbols from third-party app prompts, such as the warning hand icon, and to create a more neutral design akin to that of Apple’s prompts. Additionally, third-party developers will be allowed to merge or link Apple’s required prompts with their own data collection consent requests.

These changes are expected to impact nearly all countries within the European Union.