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Apple to Challenge EU’s Digital Markets Act, Contests App Store Inclusion

By  |  November 12, 2023
Apple

Apple is gearing up to challenge the European Union’s recent efforts to curb Big Tech’s dominance. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant is set to file the first of potentially several appeals against the Digital Markets Act, contesting the decision to place the entire App Store under the bloc’s new digital antitrust regulations.

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    According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple’s appeal will not be limited to the App Store alone. The company will also argue against subjecting its iMessage service to closer scrutiny by regulators. However, the details of the appeal are still in draft form and may undergo changes before the looming November 16 deadline to file challenges at the EU’s General Court. The individuals providing this information have chosen to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the matter, reported Bloomberg.

    This potential legal confrontation could set the stage for another showdown between the world’s largest tech company and the European Union. Apple is currently embroiled in a separate dispute with EU lawyers over alleged unpaid taxes in Ireland.

    Related: Japan Creates New Rules To Open Up Apple, Google Apps Stores To More Competition

    Additionally, the company faces ongoing EU antitrust probes, one related to its tap-and-pay technology and another scrutinizing its treatment of music streaming rivals like Spotify Technology SA.

    The Digital Markets Act (DMA) introduced by the EU imposes strict regulations on major digital firms, enhancing the powers of the European Commission as the region’s primary antitrust enforcer. The new rules make it illegal for certain platforms to prioritize their services over rivals, prohibit the amalgamation of personal data across different services, and bar the use of data collected from third-party merchants to compete against them. Furthermore, the DMA mandates that users must be allowed to download apps from competing platforms.

    Source: Bloombergs