Google wins time as EU opens Android to AI rivals

The European Union has ordered Google to give competing AI assistants broader access to Android, but the ruling also hands Google something valuable: time. Under a decision issued Thursday by the European Commission, Google has until July 2027 to make Android’s system features and data access available on terms comparable to those enjoyed by Gemini.

The order comes under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires platforms designated as gatekeepers to provide rivals with access to certain systems and data similar to what their own services receive. On paper, it is a setback for Google, which has long resisted opening up Android in this way. In practice, it gives the company roughly a year to keep expanding Gemini, work through technical details with regulators, and potentially shape how rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic will connect to Android.

Google has argued that broader access could harm safety, security, and privacy. It has not said publicly whether it will challenge the decision in court, and declined to comment on the record to The Verge.

Recommended reading

Vietnam taps RusHydro to upgrade Soviet-era dams

Apple and Google took different DMA approaches

The contrast with Apple is sharp. When Apple introduced its new Siri AI last month, it emphasized that the feature would not launch in Europe because of the DMA. The Commission said Apple, like Google, would need to give third-party assistants access to key systems, features, and data comparable to Siri AI.

Apple called that requirement “irresponsible” and said it posed unacceptable privacy and security risks. The company asked for 18 months to build a compliant version and roll out interoperability gradually. The Commission rejected that proposal.

Apple still has no public timeline for bringing Siri AI to the EU, if it does so at all, and did not respond to The Verge’s request for comment. Google, by contrast, gets the grace period Apple wanted: Gemini can remain on the market while the company works toward DMA compliance.

That split reflects different product positions as the DMA began influencing AI assistant rollouts. Gemini was already central to Google’s strategy and deeply distributed across its ecosystem, often preinstalled as the default assistant on many devices. Siri AI was unveiled much more recently, even though Apple had years to prepare for DMA requirements during development.

Apple also made the delay part of its public case against Brussels. According to The Verge, the company used part of its WWDC 2026 keynote to explain why Siri AI would not come to Europe, published a blog post titled “Due to DMA, Siri AI delayed in EU for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27,” and briefed media on the issue. News that China would also miss out on Siri AI appeared only in a one-sentence footnote.

Behind the scenes, the divide may be narrower than it looks. Both companies strongly oppose the DMA’s interoperability demands and say they threaten privacy, security, and product integrity. They have also collaborated on bringing Gemini into Apple’s AI products, including Siri AI. But for now, the practical result is simple: Google has a year to keep strengthening Gemini in Europe, while Apple still has no EU launch date for Siri AI.