The operators jointly sent a letter to the European Commission hoping to block Apple's Private Relay service

Four European carriers have written to the European Commission claiming that Apple's Private Relay in iOS 15 undermines "digital sovereignty" and should be stopped. Apple's Private Relay, which is still in beta, is a VPN-like service for iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey that blocks users' precise location data from being exposed.

There are already messages that Apple has not implemented the feature in all countries, and now operators in Europe are also asking for local exclusion.

In a letter sent to the European Commission in August 2021, four operators raised their objections. T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and Telefonica jointly said Apple's services "will have significant consequences in undermining Europe's digital sovereignty."

"In addition, Private Relay will harm the innovation and competition of others in the downstream digital market," the letter said, "and may have a negative impact on operators' ability to effectively manage telecom networks." "

If Apple is listed as a "digital gatekeeper" in the EU's Digital Marketplace Act, the company could be blocked from implementing the Private Relay service. However, the legislation of the bill has been significantly delayed and has not been ratified by European governments.