The European Commission has announced that it will apply the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to Apple’s iPadOS, subjecting the tablet platform to a range of fairness and contestability rules and adding to the regulatory pressure on the tech giant.
According to the Commission, Apple has six months to ensure that iPadOS complies with the DMA’s mandates. These include a ban on self-preferencing, requirements to allow third-party app stores, sideloading, and support for third-party payment options. Apple must also open up access to non-WebKit versions of Safari in the next six months.
The Commission’s decision follows a market investigation that found that Apple’s tablet operating system meets the qualitative criteria for designation as a gatekeeper under the DMA. Despite not meeting the quantitative thresholds, the Commission found that business users of iPadOS exceed the threshold by elevenfold, while end user numbers are close to the threshold and predicted to rise in the near future.
The DMA, which came into force in November 2022, aims to promote fair competition in the digital market. It applies to large online platforms that meet certain criteria, including having a significant impact on the internal market, acting as a gatekeeper between businesses and consumers, and having a lasting or substantial impact on the internal market. Apple, Google, and Meta have all been designated as gatekeepers under the DMA.
In response to the designation of iPadOS, Apple said that it will continue to engage with the European Commission to comply with the DMA. The company said that its focus will remain on delivering the best possible products and services to its European customers while mitigating the new privacy and data security risks that the DMA poses for its users.
The Commission’s decision is a significant step in its efforts to regulate the digital market and promote competition. It sends a clear message to Apple that it must comply with the DMA’s requirements and that it cannot use its market power to stifle competition and innovation.
