Apple has lost a major legal challenge in Europe after the General Court dismissed its appeal against the European Union’s Digital Markets Act designation. The ruling means Apple must continue following the DMA requirements that apply to iOS and the App Store, while the court also rejected the company’s challenge related to iMessage.
According to Reuters, the Luxembourg-based General Court dismissed Apple’s claims regarding the App Store and iOS, while ruling that the company’s arguments about iMessage were inadmissible. The decision strengthens the European Commission’s efforts to enforce the Digital Markets Act, which aims to increase competition and give users more choice across digital platforms.
What the ruling means for Apple
The Digital Markets Act classifies large technology companies as “gatekeepers” when they hold significant control over digital markets. Because of that designation, Apple must allow alternative app stores, avoid giving unfair advantages to its own services, and make iOS more open for competing platforms that want to work alongside its ecosystem.
An Apple spokesperson criticized the ruling and the law in a statement.
“We firmly believe the DMA’s mandate goes beyond what is lawful and proportionate, threatening to erode decades of privacy and security protections we’ve built and leaving our users vulnerable to new risks. We will continue advocating for the innovation and privacy our European customers deserve.”
Apple originally challenged the European Commission’s decision to classify its App Stores across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch as a single core platform service under the DMA. The company also argued against iOS receiving gatekeeper status and disputed the EU’s treatment of iMessage. However, the court rejected those efforts, leaving Apple’s existing obligations under the Digital Markets Act in place while the company considers its next legal steps.
