German regulator orders Apple to redesign app consent prompts

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office has accused Apple of giving its data-collection consent dialogs a design that nudges users away from permitting third-party apps while encouraging consent for Apple-owned services. In its preliminary assessment, the regulator highlighted differences such as warning hand symbols, distinct phrasing, ambiguous usage descriptions, varied space for explanations, and the order of selection options as factors creating a steering effect.

Apple, classified as a “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, now has a four-month deadline to modify both the appearance and wording of the prompts. The proposed revisions would strip discouraging icons from third-party pop-ups and align their look with Apple’s own notices, while also allowing developers to combine Apple’s required prompts with other consent mechanisms. The move reflects heightened scrutiny of Apple’s practices to ensure a level playing field for app developers across the EU.