Apple Inc.'s communication application, iMessage, and Microsoft Corp.'s Bing search engine, Edge internet browser, and Advertising operation are set to dodge rigorous new governance sanctioned by the European Union to manage large technology platforms. The European Commission revealed on Tuesday that these services don't control a sufficiently prevailing segment of the market for them to come under the EU's Digital Markets Act, following an investigation.
Both Apple and Microsoft expressed their approval of the decision through individual declarations after the announcement. For these American corporations, this decision by the EU authorities is a victory, as it means they are no longer required to adjust their services in conformity to multiple new obligations and prohibitions set in place to control exploitation of market power.
The rules instituted by the EU's DMA are aimed at six of the global tech powerhouses, considered as digital “gatekeepers.” While services from Microsoft and Apple are now insulated, alongside those from Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Amazon.com Inc., and ByteDance Ltd. (parent company of TikTok), these companies will continue to be subjected to several new requirements. These measures are designed to stop them from making undue use of their superiority in other sectors of their businesses.
For Microsoft, this includes the Windows operating system used in PCs and the LinkedIn social network platform, whilst for Apple it is the iOS mobile operating system, the App Store, and the Safari internet browser. The law contends that it is illegal for the named firms to favor their own services over those of the competition. They're also forbidden from merging personal data across their various services, misusing the data they collect from third-party merchants to compete against them and are required to permit users to download apps from rival platforms.
The enforcement of these laws is due to commence in full swing from March 7.