EU: Apple's iPadOS must also comply with the Digital Markets Act – Tablets and Phones – News

Apple's iPadOS must comply with European digital markets law. The European Commission decided this on Monday. This means that Apple must, among other things, open this operating system to alternative app stores, as was previously the case with iOS.

The European Commission writes Apple is also positioned as a “gatekeeper” with iPadOS. The committee is doing this after conducting an investigation into the operating system, which was launched in September last year. Although iPadOS does not meet residential DMA thresholds, the operating system is an important gateway for business users, according to the committee. For this reason, it still has to adhere to the most stringent technical regulations.

The European Commission's investigation found that the number of enterprise iPadOS users exceeds the DMA limit eleven times, meaning that the operating system must be subject to stricter technology legislation. In addition, the committee found that private and business iPadOS users “are not encouraged to switch to other tablet operating systems.” Based on these findings, the European Commission states that Apple with iPadOS has “established and continuing strength… [markt]position'.

Apple now has six months to comply with DMA legislation with iPadOS. This should therefore happen no later than the end of October 2024. By law, Apple must, among other things, allow third-party app stores on iPadOS, as has been the case on iOS since March. Since the DMA came into effect, alternative browser engines have also been allowed on this mobile operating system, as well as the installation of separate applications via developer websites.

The Digital Markets Act covers many companies that must comply with strict competition rules with their services as “gatekeepers”. In September, the European Commission appointed the first six gatekeepers under the DMA, who together have 22 services that will be subject to the law. This also included Apple with its iOS operating system, the App Store for iOS, and the Safari web browser. The rules will now also apply to iPadOS. Apple's iMessage messaging service was previously exempt from the DMA.