Apple will kill this in a software update.
No they won’t, they have to allow it, it’s already part of the EU Digital Market Act.
They will even have to extend and create an API in the next few years.
Article 7
Obligation for gatekeepers on interoperability of number-independent interpersonal communications services
1. Where a gatekeeper provides number-independent interpersonal communications services that are listed in the designation decision pursuant to Article 3(9), it shall make the basic functionalities of its number-independent interpersonal communications services interoperable with the number-independent interpersonal communications services of another provider offering or intending to offer such services in the Union, by providing the necessary technical interfaces or similar solutions that facilitate interoperability, upon request, and free of charge.
2. The gatekeeper shall make at least the following basic functionalities referred to in paragraph 1 interoperable where the gatekeeper itself provides those functionalities to its own end users:
(a) | following the listing in the designation decision pursuant to Article 3(9):
(i) | end-to-end text messaging between two individual end users; |
(ii) | sharing of images, voice messages, videos and other attached files in end to end communication between two individual end users; |
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(b) | within 2 years from the designation:
(i) | end-to-end text messaging within groups of individual end users; |
(ii) | sharing of images, voice messages, videos and other attached files in end-to-end communication between a group chat and an individual end user; |
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(c) | within 4 years from the designation:
(i) | end-to-end voice calls between two individual end users; |
(ii) | end-to-end video calls between two individual end users; |
(iii) | end-to-end voice calls between a group chat and an individual end user; |
(iv) | end-to-end video calls between a group chat and an individual end user. |
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3. The level of security, including the end-to-end encryption, where applicable, that the gatekeeper provides to its own end users shall be preserved across the interoperable services.
4. The gatekeeper shall publish a reference offer laying down the technical details and general terms and conditions of interoperability with its number-independent interpersonal communications services, including the necessary details on the level of security and end-to-end encryption. The gatekeeper shall publish that reference offer within the period laid down in Article 3(10) and update it where necessary.