The European Union has decided that another survey is needed for consumer products, and Apple is included in this network.

Announced today, the EU has launched a new probe on the Internet of Things and is specifically targeting digital assistants and other connected consumer products. Siri, Alexa Amazon, Google Assistant and others are locked in the new investigation, which regulators say is meant to ensure that these large companies do not serve as gateways to the wider world of the Internet of Things through the market. dominating customer data.

And in the center of them all, there are voice assistants, such as Siri Apple, Google Assistant, Alexa Amazon or Magenta Deutsche Telekom. These voice assistants allow us to control our smart devices without us having to look at a screen. You can get information from the Internet, manage calendars, or buy products.

The potential is incredible. But we will see the full benefits - low prices, wide choice, innovative products and services - if the markets for these devices remain open and competitive. And the problem is that competition in digital markets can be fragile. When large companies abuse their power, they can quickly push markets beyond the peak, where competition becomes a monopoly. I've seen it happen before. If we do not act in time, there is a serious risk that it will happen again, with the Internet of Things.

And one of the key issues here is the data. Voice assistants and smart devices can collect a vast amount of data about our habits. And there is a risk that large companies may misuse the data collected through such devices to cement their market position against the challenges of competition. They may even use their knowledge of how we access other services to enter the market for these services and take them over.

The European Union seems to be focused on ensuring that the Internet of Things, which is meant to be an all-encompassing market, is interoperable between platforms. Device compatibility is a real issue, especially as customers extend from one manufacturer to another, and this probe is meant to determine how best to achieve the goal so that customers do not engage in roadblocks because they use one device or another.

The EU sent the standard questionnaire to 400 companies around the world, all in an effort to learn more about IoT practices and the connected devices they sell. Included companies sell products such as carriers, devices and produce voice assistants. Businesses providing services for the IoT market are also included in the net.

Apple's inclusion certainly makes sense, given that HomeKit is an important element of the company's overall business. Especially when it comes to Siri, which serves as a line for a smart home equipped with HomeKit compatible devices.