TLDRs;
- Apple is suing the EU over the Digital Markets Act, claiming it unfairly targets its ecosystem.
- The DMA requires Apple to open the iPhone and App Store to third-party apps and payment options.
- The EU fined Apple €500 million for restricting app developers’ external payment links.
- The case could define how the EU enforces antitrust laws on global tech giants going forward.
Apple has officially filed a lawsuit challenging the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the General Court of Luxembourg, setting the stage for a major confrontation between Silicon Valley and Brussels.
The company argues that the sweeping new law unfairly targets its ecosystem and undermines both security and user experience across its devices.
The DMA, implemented in 2023, seeks to rein in the dominance of “gatekeeper” tech firms, those with vast user bases and market influence, by enforcing greater interoperability, transparency, and competition. For Apple, this means opening up the App Store, iPhone hardware, and iMessage to rival technologies and third-party services.
Apple’s legal representatives insist the law imposes “excessive and impractical obligations” that could weaken the company’s tightly integrated ecosystem. EU officials, however, maintain that Apple’s practices create barriers for competitors and limit consumer choice, especially regarding app distribution and payment processing.
Apple Argues Law Threatens User Privacy
In court, Apple’s legal team claimed the DMA’s requirements could compromise user security and privacy, two cornerstones of its brand identity.
The company has long positioned its ecosystem as a closed, tightly controlled environment that keeps users safe from malware and data misuse.
Under the DMA, Apple must make the iPhone compatible with rival hardware and software ecosystems, including third-party app stores and payment systems. It must also remove restrictions that prevent developers from steering users to external payment options, the same rule that led to the EU imposing a €500 million (US$540 million) fine earlier this year.
The European Commission argued that these measures are necessary to level the playing field and reduce Apple’s ability to favor its own services.
“Apple’s dominance gives it structural advantages in related markets,” EU lawyers said, citing how the company uses its control over iOS to prioritize its own apps and subscription services.
Developers Get New Options
Despite its legal challenge, Apple has begun implementing some DMA-related changes across the European Economic Area (EEA). Developers can now apply for Web Browser Engine and Embedded Browser Engine Entitlements, allowing them to use non-WebKit browser engines and integrate alternative in-app browsing tools.
The company also introduced alternative app distribution through notarized channels, Apple’s security-vetted method for apps distributed outside the App Store. These updates come alongside more than 600 new APIs and tools for developers, and the introduction of a Core Technology Fee, applied only after apps exceed one million annual installs.
However, critics argue that Apple’s new terms and fees are designed to maintain control rather than foster true openness. Smaller developers, they say, could still face complex compliance costs that discourage competition.
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