Apple Says Apple Ads and Apple Maps Meet EU DMA Thresholds — Gatekeeper Decision Now with Commission

02:34 PM, 11/28/2025

Apple has told the European Commission that Apple Ads and Apple Maps meet the EU Digital Markets Act thresholds. The Commission has 45 working days to decide whether to designate either service as a gatekeeper. If designated, Apple would have six months to ensure those services comply with the DMA's requirements.

Apple has informed the European Commission that two of its core platform services, Apple Ads and Apple Maps, meet the thresholds set by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Commission said in a statement on Friday.

The Commission now has 45 working days to assess whether either service should be formally designated as a gatekeeper. If the Commission designates Apple for one or both services, the company would have six months to bring those services into compliance with the DMA's obligations.

What this means

The DMA is designed to curb anti-competitive practices by large digital platforms deemed gatekeepers, imposing rules intended to increase contestability and user choice across the EU. A gatekeeper designation can require changes such as greater interoperability, data access for rivals, and limits on self-preferencing.

Apple's notification to the Commission starts a formal review timeline but does not itself determine designation. The decision will depend on the Commission's assessment of market impact and whether Apple Ads or Apple Maps meet the DMA's legal criteria for gatekeepers.

Reporting: Inti Landauro and Charlotte Van Campenhout.

Apple Says Apple Ads and Apple Maps Meet EU DMA Thresholds — Gatekeeper Decision Now with Commission

What this means

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