According to iMore, an Australian iPhone user discovered a way to 'trick' the device into activating features reserved by Apple for the European Union (EU) region, which are limited by region due to Dao Market Law Technical digital (DMA).
The DMA took effect in early March, forcing Apple to allow iPhone users to download apps from third-party app stores and use web browsers other than Safari. These changes are only for users in EU countries.
There is a way to 'circumvent' the iPhone to use limited features in the EU
Accordingly, the above iPhone user, known as Adam Demasi, shared how to activate special features in the EU on his device. This process involves changing many device settings, including region, Apple ID, and even Wi-Fi network. However, Demasi notes this method is complex, unstable, and may violate Apple's terms of service.
The process of 'fooling' the iPhone relies on Apple downloading a new plist file to determine the iPhone's location in the world and then using it to decide which features will be available.
“A plist file downloaded from Apple lists the 'domains' and individual features that are locked by region,” Demasi explains. There were 24 domains detected and this file was last updated on 5.4. Notably, that was when iOS 17.4 was released and DMA was about to be applied.
However, this 'circumvention' is not recommended because it poses many risks and may violate Apple's terms of service. Furthermore, this method may be blocked by Apple in the future.
