Apple Maps and Apple Ads Escape the DMA: What This Means for Users and Competitors!

Apple’s Announcement to the European Commission

In late November, Apple informed the European Commission that its Apple Ads and Apple Maps services had reached user thresholds that might subject them to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes interoperability and competition requirements on major platforms. The Commission was given a 45-day period to decide whether these two Apple services should be classified as “gatekeepers” under European law. The decision that was made public today is that Apple does not qualify as a gatekeeper for either service. The Commission stated, “Apple cannot be considered a gatekeeper in relation to Apple Ads and Apple Maps, as neither service platform serves as a significant gateway for business users to reach end users.”

Implications for Apple Ads and Apple Maps

Thus, Apple Ads and Apple Maps are not subject to the stringent requirements of the DMA. Naturally, this is welcome news for Apple. The company expressed its satisfaction in a statement to Reuters, mentioning, “these services face significant competition in Europe, and we are pleased that the Commission has recognized that they do not meet the designation criteria set by the Digital Markets Act.”

However, the Commission noted that it will continue to monitor the market landscape. It suggests that if Apple Ads and Apple Maps were to gain more substantial market shares in the coming years, the issue of DMA compliance might be revisited.