EU Court rejects Apple’s challenge to gatekeeper status under Digital Markets Act

The EU General Court rejected Apple’s legal challenge to its designation as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act, upholding the European Commission’s 2023 decision that iOS and the App Store must comply with strict obligations to ensure fair competition. The court confirmed that all versions of the App Store across Apple devices serve the same purpose of connecting developers with users and should be treated as a single core platform service, while dismissing Apple’s arguments regarding iMessage as inadmissible. This ruling means Apple must continue providing free interoperability for developers and publish annual compliance reports, obligations that could significantly reshape how apps are distributed and accessed on iOS. Apple may appeal the decision to the Court of Justice of the European Union within two months, but only on points of law. The outcome reinforces the EU’s broader effort to limit the market power of major tech firms and protect digital fairness for users and smaller businesses.