Brussels: The European Commission announced on Monday that Apple’s iPadOS, the operating system powering iPads, has been designated as a gatekeeper under the EU’s pioneering tech regulations, citing its critical importance to business users.
This decision, under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) enacted this year, expands the list of gatekeepers to include 22 services owned by tech giants such as Apple, Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance, which control access to their platforms.
The European Commission’s determination follows an investigation initiated in September last year. Notably, Apple’s iOS, Safari browser, and App Store were previously identified as gatekeepers.
Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust chief, emphasized the significance of iPadOS as a gateway for numerous companies to connect with their customers. Despite not meeting certain quantitative thresholds, the Commission found that iPadOS plays a pivotal role in the digital ecosystem, particularly for business users.
According to the Commission, Apple’s substantial business user base exceeded the quantitative threshold by elevenfold, while its end user numbers approached the threshold and are expected to increase in the near future. The ecosystem surrounding iPadOS effectively locks in both business and end users, further solidifying its gatekeeper status.
Apple has been granted six months to ensure compliance with the DMA. In response, the tech giant expressed its commitment to collaborate with the European Commission to adhere to the regulatory requirements across all designated services.
Breaches of the DMA regulations could result in hefty fines, amounting to as much as 10% of a company’s global annual turnover.
