Apple’s online advertising service, Apple Ads and its navigation platform, Apple Maps, will not be designated under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) due to limited market impact in the continent, the European Commission ruled on Thursday.
The decision says Apple will not be considered as a gatekeeper for these services because they are not a key connection for businesses to reach customers in Europe. This means that Apple will have to follow fewer rules for these services than it does for its main products, like the App Store.
“This assessment is based on a number of considerations, including that Apple Maps has a relatively low overall usage rate in the EU, and that Apple Ads has very limited scale in the online advertising sector in the EU,” the Commission said.
The DMA rules seek to limit the power of companies that run major digital platforms like search engines, app stores, and messaging services. These rules target platforms that have a big influence on the market, hold strong and lasting market power, and act as key links between businesses and consumers.
Generally, a platform is assumed to meet these criteria if it has at least 45 million monthly users and 10,000 yearly business users over the past three years.
Apple reportedly welcomed the decision, remarking that these services face significant competition in Europe.