Apple is forced to stop favoring its own apps in personal data collection prompts

“Apple must redesign its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) consent dialogs after Germany’s competition regulator found the prompts give preferential treatment to Apple‑owned apps over third‑party offerings. The ruling requires Apple to remove any wording, symbols, or layout cues that could sway users toward granting data‑collection permission to its own services, and to ensure all prompts are neutral for the next seven years under independent monitoring. For U.S. consumers, the change could lead to more consistent privacy choices across the App Store, while developers may see a fairer playing field that reduces Apple’s implicit advantage in data collection. Expert Analysis: The decision signals that European antitrust pressure can ripple into the U.S. market, prompting Apple to pre‑emptively align its UI practices globally. A neutral consent experience may also set a de‑facto industry standard, nudging other platforms to adopt similar fairness safeguards.”