Apple is facing intensified regulatory pressure in the European Union as two more of its services, Apple Maps and Apple Ads, are under review for designation as “gatekeepers” under the Digital Markets Act, a move the company is actively resisting.
The European Commission is considering adding Apple Maps and the company’s advertising business to the list of platforms subject to the DMA. This designation would impose significant additional restrictions on Apple. These measures aim to foster greater competition within the digital market.
EU regulators are reviewing the applications and are expected to issue a verdict within 45 working days. The situation appears unfavorable for Apple.
Both services are believed to have met or exceeded the regulatory thresholds for “very large platforms.” These thresholds include 45 million monthly active users and a market capitalization of $75 billion.
Such a designation would firmly place Apple Maps and Apple Ads in the “gatekeeper” category, alongside iOS, the App Store, and Safari. Apple has actively sought exemptions from EU competition authorities for these two services.
The company argues its advertising operation, which currently includes banners in the App Store and potentially Maps in the future, holds a “minimal” share in the EU market. Apple contrasts its advertising presence with major competitors such as Meta, Google, Microsoft, TikTok, and X.
Furthermore, Apple asserts that its Maps service is not widely used in the EU compared to dominant players like Google Maps and Waze. The company also claims it does not leverage data from other internal or third-party services for Apple Maps. It also states it does not function as an intermediary between advertisers and users for these services.
Tensions between Apple and the EU’s Digital Markets Act regulators have escalated in recent months, culminating in a lawsuit filed by Apple with the European Union Court of Justice.