In June 2025, during the WWDC, Apple officially unveiled the next major update to its operating system, iOS 26. As is customary with annual updates, this iteration promises to introduce several significant features.

However, for Apple users residing in the European Union, not all iOS 26 features will be available upon launch. This limitation stems from Apple’s ongoing compliance efforts with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and associated regulatory hurdles.

One notable feature that will not be accessible in the EU at launch is the “visited places” functionality. This feature aims to enhance Apple Maps by allowing users to remember locations they have previously visited.

While Apple has emphasized that the data associated with this feature would be protected by end-to-end encryption—ensuring even the company itself cannot access it—this assurance has not sufficed to satisfy EU officials. During a workshop in Brussels, Apple’s Vice President of Legal, Kyle Andeer, highlighted the company’s decision to delay certain features for EU customers.

He mentioned that they are still assessing additional functionalities that may also not be released in the region. Apple is actively working on solutions to provide these features as quickly as possible, but the timeline remains uncertain.

This situation is not unprecedented for Apple, which has faced ongoing regulatory challenges in the EU, leading to fines and forced changes. Previous examples include the transition from the Lightning connector to USB-C, as well as modifications to allow third-party App Stores and external payment services within iOS.

Currently, due to these regulations, users in the EU continue to miss out on several features, such as iPhone mirroring and Live Activities on Mac, resulting in a subpar experience despite paying comparable prices for their devices. Ultimately, whether to blame Apple or the regulatory environment is a matter for debate, but the customers are left feeling shortchanged.