Apple has suffered a significant legal setback in the European Union after a court dismissed the company’s challenges to its designation under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), leaving key Apple platforms subject to the law’s competition requirements.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple sought to overturn its classification as a “gatekeeper” for iOS, the App Store, and aspects of the European Commission’s treatment of iMessage. However, the EU’s General Court rejected all of the company’s claims, preserving the Commission’s regulatory framework for Apple’s digital ecosystem.
The decision strengthens the European Union’s efforts to curb the market power of the world’s largest technology companies by ensuring that Apple remains bound by obligations intended to increase competition and expand consumer choice.
Reuters reported that the Luxembourg-based General Court upheld the European Commission’s designation of Apple’s iOS operating system and App Store under the Digital Markets Act, concluding that the Commission acted lawfully in treating Apple’s App Stores across multiple devices as a single core platform service. The court found that, regardless of device, the stores serve the same purpose of connecting developers with end users for software distribution.
The ruling represents another milestone in the EU’s broader campaign to regulate dominant digital platforms through competition-focused legislation rather than relying solely on traditional antitrust enforcement.
Apple has consistently argued that certain provisions of the Digital Markets Act exceed what is necessary and could undermine the company’s longstanding approach to privacy and security.
Following Wednesday’s ruling, Apple reiterated those concerns.
According to Reuters, Apple said it believes the DMA “goes beyond what is lawful and proportionate,” arguing that some of the law’s requirements risk weakening protections the company has built for users. Apple added that it will continue advocating for privacy and innovation for its European customers.
Although the company lost its appeal before the General Court, Reuters noted that Apple retains the option of appealing on points of law to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the bloc’s highest judicial authority.
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Why the gatekeeper designation matters
The Digital Markets Act is one of the European Union’s most significant competition laws targeting large digital platforms. Rather than penalizing companies after anti-competitive conduct has been proven, the legislation imposes upfront obligations on firms designated as “gatekeepers” because of their control over important digital services.
Gatekeepers must comply with rules designed to prevent practices that could limit competition, such as restricting interoperability, favoring their own services over rivals, or making it difficult for businesses to reach customers outside a platform owner’s ecosystem. The law also provides the European Commission with enforcement powers that can include substantial financial penalties for violations.
Apple’s inclusion under the DMA has already required changes to parts of its European business, including opening iOS to alternative app marketplaces and modifying App Store policies to comply with the regulation.
iMessage challenge also dismissed
The court also rejected Apple’s challenge relating to iMessage, although the practical impact differs from the company’s challenges involving iOS and the App Store.
Reuters reported that the court ruled Apple’s action concerning iMessage was inadmissible because the messaging service is not currently subject to DMA obligations. European regulators previously concluded that iMessage should not be designated as a gatekeeper service, meaning the legal classification Apple challenged does not presently impose additional requirements on the platform.
Competition scrutiny of Big Tech continues
The decision comes amid sustained European efforts to address market concentration among the largest technology companies through both antitrust enforcement and new regulatory frameworks.
The Digital Markets Act applies to several major technology firms whose platforms are considered critical gateways between businesses and consumers. Alongside Apple, companies including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and ByteDance have been designated for various core platform services under the law.
The ruling also follows a series of high-profile competition cases in Europe involving major technology companies. Last week, the European Union’s highest court upheld a multibillion-euro antitrust penalty against Google over Android, reinforcing the bloc’s long-running approach to addressing dominance in digital markets.
Apple remains subject to the Digital Markets Act’s gatekeeper obligations following the General Court’s decision. The company may seek further review before the Court of Justice of the European Union on questions of law, while the European Commission continues enforcing the DMA across designated digital platforms.
