Apple says iMessage isn't popular enough to as a "gatekeeper" service

The European Union has been one of the few governing bodies trying to control the monopoly of tech giants like Apple. As part of these efforts, it introduced a new law called the Digital Markets Act, which aims to address concerns about the monopolistic behavior of tech giants by singling out certain platforms as “gatekeepers,” including Apple’s iMessage service. However, with just days remaining before the gatekeeper designation, Apple is now reportedly challenging the decision, citing the popularity of iMessage in the EU.

Apple says that iMessage can’t be a gatekeeper service

The core objective of the DMA, which was first introduced in October 2020, is to restrict what the EU perceives as the excessive control exercised by major tech companies by labeling their services as gatekeepers. As per the act, for a platform to qualify as a “gatekeeper,” it should boast an annual turnover exceeding €7.5 billion, a market capitalization surpassing €75 billion, and a user base of over 45 million monthly active users within the EU. Consequently, if iMessage were to be categorized as a gatekeeper service, Apple would be required to open up iMessage to third-party operators.

However, Apple contends that iMessage falls short of this last criterion and does not meet the required 45 million monthly active users in the European region. As a result, the EU should not force it to open its doors to competing apps like WhatsApp.

While Apple’s latest decision could be an issue for the law’s enforcement, it also marks a significant shift from its stance in July, wherein the company, alongside Microsoft and other tech giants, issued a general statement acknowledging the applicability of the EU’s gatekeeper law without specifying services like iMessage.

Microsoft is also in the mix

Apple isn’t the only one who has recently shifted its stance, as Microsoft has also joined the company in contesting the inclusion of its search engine Bing in the “gatekeeper” list. Microsoft argues that the EU should not classify its search engine as it only has a market share of 3%.