Requesting interoperability with iOS and iPadOS in the European Union

Developers of apps in the EU can make requests for interoperability with hardware and software features built into iOS, iPadOS, iPhone, and/or iPad, per Article 6(7) of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple evaluates each request and will inform you about the outcome, including communicating an initial assessment of eligibility within 20 working days for most requests. If you would like to ask questions, make enhancement requests not covered specifically by Article 6(7), or share feedback on Apple’s developer tools and services, we encourage you to contact us through Feedback Assistant.

Interoperability requests

Get started by submitting your request

The first step to request effective interoperability is submitting the request form through the Feedback Assistant app or website. To submit a request, your Apple Developer Program membership must be in good standing and you must have entered into the current terms of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Please note that all correspondence with you about your request will also include the Account Holder for your Apple Developer Program membership.

You will need to answer some questions to ensure that Apple can review your request properly. To better understand the information that you should provide, view the example of a fully completed request. Make sure to provide as complete as possible information on the request form to help avoid delays. We may contact you through Feedback Assistant if additional information is required.

If you have any questions on the interoperability request process, you can reach out to us by sending an email to dmainteroperability@apple.com.

Get started

After a request is submitted

Once you have submitted your request, you should receive a notification confirming successful submission. We will contact you through Feedback Assistant to notify you of updates, timing, and the outcome of our review. You will also be able to view the status of your request and directly communicate with a designated contact point at Apple on your pending requests in a dedicated space in Feedback Assistant.

Apple handles requests in 3 phases:

Phase I: Eligibility

Apple will make an initial assessment of your request, as well as determine based on the available information whether your request appears to fall within Article 6(7) of the DMA. Apple will contact you if additional information is required to evaluate your request. The text of Article 6(7) of the DMA can be found here. The analysis of the legal scope will include a determination of, among other things, (i) whether you are a provider of services or hardware, (ii) whether you requested interoperability with or access to hardware or software features controlled by iOS or iPadOS, (iii) whether the feature with which you requested interoperability is available to or used by services or hardware provided by Apple, and (iv) whether effective interoperability already exists with the requested feature. For ease of handling, please submit a separate request for each feature with which you are requesting interoperability.

Apple will conclude the eligibility assessment and communicate the outcome to you within 20 working days from the submission of your interoperability request for most requests. In the event Apple requests clarification from you about your request, and no response is received within 3 working days, the period for Apple’s response to your request will be suspended.

In exceptional circumstances, Apple may take longer than 20 working days from the submission of the interoperability request to complete its eligibility analysis. In these circumstances, Apple will communicate why it is taking longer than 20 working days.

At the conclusion of the Phase 1 Eligibility phase, Apple will inform you of the outcome of the initial assessment.

If your interoperability request is rejected because there is an existing interoperability solution, Apple will point you to existing documentation on this solution. If Apple determines that it is not feasible to design an effective interoperability solution or that it is not appropriate to do so under the DMA, Apple will communicate that to you. In certain circumstances, you will have a possibility of appealing Apple’s decision to reject your request (see section “Dispute Resolution Mechanism” below).

Phase II: Project plan

Based on Apple’s initial assessment of whether your request falls within Article 6(7) of the DMA, Apple will start working on designing a solution for effective interoperability with the requested feature. Apple considers multiple factors when designing effective interoperability solutions. The integrity of iOS and iPadOS will always be among the important considerations for Apple.

Apple will communicate to you a project plan within 40 working days from the end of Phase I (I.e., when Apple informs you of the outcome of the initial assessment), subject to a suspension of this deadline if Apple finds it necessary to request clarification from you about your request and you do not respond to the clarification within 3 working days. This project plan includes information on the envisaged interoperability solution, such as a description of the work. This project plan also includes an estimation of whether the request requires “minor”, “mild”, or “significant” engineering efforts, as well as an indicative timeline for the development and release of the solution. You will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the project plan and the envisaged interoperability solution.

If at the conclusion of the Project Plan phase Apple determines that it will reject your interoperability request, you have a possibility of appealing Apple’s decision to reject your request (see section “Dispute Resolution Mechanism” below).

Phase III: Development and release of the interoperability solution

Following communication of the project plan, you will have 5 working days to indicate if you intend to provide feedback on the project plan and to the extent an effective interoperability solution is feasible and appropriate under the DMA, Apple will subsequently develop the solution. If you do provide feedback, Apple will respond within 5 working days (or 10 working days for requests requiring significant engineering efforts) on how Apple took your feedback into account. Development will be tailored to each request. Apple will notify you when your interoperability request is addressed. Additionally, Apple will release the relevant technical documentation describing how developers can implement each solution.

Apple will develop the interoperability solution within:

6 months for “minor” engineering efforts.
12 months for “mild” engineering efforts.
18 months for “significant” engineering efforts.

Apple will release the solutions as quickly as possible and no later than:

The first or second interim (“dot”) iOS or iPadOS release to be released after the completion of the development cycle for requests requiring ‘minor’ or ‘mild’ engineering efforts.
The first major iOS or iPadOS release to be released after the completion of the development cycle, or, where necessary, an interim (“dot”) release, for requests requiring ‘significant' engineering efforts.
In any event, 24 months from the day of the submission of the interoperability request.

In exceptional and duly justified cases, the above timelines can be exceeded. In such cases, Apple will inform you as early as possible, explaining the reasons for this.

Further, all of the above timelines are suspended if you fail to provide necessary information to process or address your interoperability request within 3 working days from Apple’s request for clarification, take longer than 5 working days to provide feedback on the project plan, or introduce an appeal.

Confidentiality of your request

Apple will use the confidential information you submit only to evaluate your request for interoperability, make reports to the European Commission as required by law, and inform the design of an interoperability solution if the request is assessed as eligible.

You will need to decide whether to make your request partly or wholly available to other developers.

If you choose to make your request fully available, other developers will be able to see the full text of your request as well as messages and updates between Apple and you related to your request.
If you choose to make your request partly available, other developers will be able to see the name of your organization, the requested feature, a non-confidential description of the request provided by you, the ID number of the request (assigned by Apple), the date the request was received, and the general status of the request. If you choose to make your request partly available, the request form will ask you to provide a non-confidential description of the request.
If you choose to make your request confidential, other developers will be able to see a generic description of the requested feature provided by you, the ID number of the request (assigned by Apple), the date the request was received, and the general status of the request. If you choose to make your request confidential, the request form will ask you to provide a generic description of the requested feature.

View a tracker of all interoperability requests received by Apple since May 20, 2025.

Dispute resolution mechanism

Apple is setting up a dispute resolution mechanism for qualifying requests. The mechanism, and more information on it, will be available beginning in July 2025.

Technical reference queries

You can submit queries for technical references detailing how iOS or iPadOS enables hardware and software features controlled by iOS or iPadOS for Apple’s and third-party hardware and services, including capabilities that are currently used only by Apple’s hardware and services. When submitting your request, you will need to provide context on your query and the assistance you seek, such as the feature, functionality, or desired outcome for which you seek technical information. You will need to explain the relevance of the technical reference for the purpose of submitting an interoperability request. View query details.

You can submit a technical reference query through Feedback Assistant.

The information you submit will be used to evaluate your technical reference query. Apple’s response to your technical reference query will be made available to other developers, excluding any information that you or Apple considers to constitute a business secret. On the page through which you can submit a technical reference query, you have an opportunity to designate such information included in your query as a business secret that should be excluded from publication.

Apple will respond to your reference query within 20 working days of its submission. In the event you submit multiple parallel reference queries, Apple may take longer than 20 working days from the submission of the reference query to respond. In these circumstances, Apple will communicate why it is taking longer than 20 working days.

View summaries of technical references provided to developers by Apple since May 20, 2025.

Performance report

Apple will annually report on a number of key performance indicators regarding the interoperability and reference query process. View the report from May 2025.

Frequently asked questions

If my project requires effective interoperability with multiple aspects, should I submit one request or multiple requests?

You should submit one request describing the full set of features and capabilities that you believe you need for effective interoperability. To ensure high quality tracking, Apple may create multiple requests covering distinct portions of your request.

How will Apple inform me of updates on my interoperability request?

Apple keeps you informed throughout the request process, notifying you of any status changes or timeline updates. A dedicated space within Feedback Assistant allows you to access all relevant information about your request, including the current stage, submitted information, Apple’s input, and the expected timelines. You will also receive an email notifying you of a new communication from Apple in Feedback Assistant.

Can I follow up with Apple about my interoperability request?

As noted above, Apple will aim to communicate the results of the initial assessment within 20 working days and will reach out to you if additional information is needed. If your request appears to be eligible and if Apple determines that it is feasible to design an effective interoperability solution, Apple will aim to create the tentative project plan and communicate it to you within 40 working days from the end of the eligibility phase.

How does Apple ensure the confidentiality of my submitted information?

Apple takes strict measures to protect the confidentiality of the information you submit with your interoperability request and queries for technical references. Information submitted for these requests is only used by Apple for the purpose of assessing the requests and providing effective interoperability. To the extent you wish to keep the request fully confidential, Apple will ensure that the circulation of such information is strictly limited, on a need-to-know basis, to the teams within Apple that are responsible or involved in the handling of the interoperability requests and the development of interoperability solutions. Apple ensures that this information is not accessible by teams and individuals within Apple who may be involved in any capacity in the development, marketing and commercialization of services and hardware that may potentially or actually compete with services and hardware that the developer would intend to provide, other than those individuals who are necessary to evaluate and respond to your interoperability request or technical reference.

How does Apple prioritize interoperability requests?

Apple treats the development and release of its first-party features and interoperability requests alike. Apple prioritizes interoperability requests based on factors such as the complexity of the request, the potential impact on the iOS and iPadOS ecosystem, and the resources required for development. Apple aims to handle all requests diligently and within the prescribed timelines. These timelines may be suspended if additional information is required and the developer takes longer than 3 working days to provide the information, if feedback takes longer than 5 working days, or if an appeal or conciliation process is initiated. In exceptional and duly justified cases, Apple may exceed these timelines but will inform you as early as possible, explaining the reasons for this.