Apple has officially lodged a challenge against the European Union's tech regulations, specifically taking issue with the classification of its five App Stores as a single core platform service under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The company's appeal, filed with the General Court, claims that EU regulators have misunderstood and misapplied the legislation, which came into effect in May 2022.
According to a recent Reuters report, Apple criticized the European Commission, alleging "material factual errors" in considering its five App stores as a unified core platform service. The tech giant argues that each App Store is meticulously designed for a specific operating system and Apple device, covering iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches.
The DMA, crafted to regulate tech industry behemoths, places specific obligations on companies like Apple. These obligations include facilitating third-party interoperability with their services and allowing business users to promote offers and conclude contracts outside their platforms.
Apple's challenge specifically addresses the characterization of its operating system, iOS, as a crucial gateway for business users to connect with end users. The company questions the associated interoperability obligations tied to this classification.
The legal action, initiated in November 2022, underscores Apple's resistance to complying with the DMA's requirements and hints at potential legal showdowns between major tech players and EU regulators. Apple's legal endeavors extend beyond App Stores and iOS, addressing the European Commission's classification of its messaging service, iMessage, as a number-independent interpersonal communications service (NIICS).
This specific categorization triggered an EU investigation into whether iMessage should adhere to DMA rules. Apple vehemently disputed this characterization, contending that iMessage does not fall under the NIICS category as it is not a fee-based service and does not generate revenue through the sale of hardware devices or the processing of personal data.
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