EU Court Rejects Apple's DMA Gatekeeper Appeal

The EU General Court upheld the classification of Apple’s App Store and iOS as gatekeeper services under the Digital Markets Act.

The General Court of the European Union has dismissed Apple's legal challenge against its gatekeeper status under the Digital Markets Act. In September 2023, the European Commission designated Apple as a gatekeeper alongside Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta, specifically targeting the App Store, iOS, and Safari. Apple argued that its App Stores for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV should be treated as separate entities, claiming only the iOS version met the necessary thresholds. However, judges ruled that these variants constitute a single central platform service because they share the same purpose of connecting developers and end users. While Apple may still appeal to the European Court of Justice, this ruling reinforces the Commission's regulatory reach. Several other tech firms continue to challenge similar DMA designations.