Brussels: In a significant development for Europe’s technology regulatory landscape, Apple has formally informed the European Commission that two of its major services Apple Ads and Apple Maps now meet the quantitative criteria established under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This declaration triggers the next phase of the EU’s oversight process, compelling the Commission to evaluate whether Apple should be classified as a “gatekeeper,” a designation that would impose sweeping obligations on how the company operates in the region.
Apple’s admission represents a pivotal moment in the European Union’s bold effort to rein in the dominance of global tech giants. The DMA sets strict benchmarks for platforms with substantial market power, and once a company acknowledges meeting those thresholds, EU regulators have 45 working days to conclude whether its services warrant gatekeeper status. If the EU issues such a designation, Apple would be required to fully comply with the DMA’s rules including enhanced transparency measures, interoperability requirements, and restrictions on self-preferencing within a six-month period.
The development comes against the backdrop of Apple’s recent warnings that compliance with the DMA is already affecting its product rollouts in Europe. The company has previously stated that certain features such as iPhone-to-Mac screen mirroring and AirPods live translation have been delayed or withheld for EU users due to the law’s interoperability requirements. Apple insists these adjustments are necessary to ensure that new capabilities work safely and reliably across devices not manufactured by the company, as mandated by the DMA. This dynamic has intensified the ongoing debate between regulators seeking a more open digital marketplace and Apple defending the integrity of its tightly controlled ecosystem.
For the European Commission, Apple’s notification marks the beginning of a decisive and closely watched assessment. A gatekeeper designation would not only subject Apple to one of the world’s most rigorous regulatory regimes but also signal Brussels’ continued willingness to challenge Big Tech’s influence. For Apple and its millions of users across the continent, the Commission’s upcoming ruling could reshape how its core services function within the EU and determine how far digital competition rules will reach into the heart of Apple’s business strategy.