Apple Maps and Apple Ads Just Hit the EU’s Gatekeeper List—And Apple is Fighting Back

Sunday, 30 November 2025 at 14:06

Just when you thought Apple was done with the EU’s strict tech laws, the drama expands. Apple has just formally notified the European Commission (EC) that both Apple Maps and Apple Ads meet the massive user thresholds under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). That means both services might be officially classified as "gatekeepers," putting them under intense regulatory pressure.

The Numbers Are In, But Apple Disagrees

Under the DMA, a service is generally presumed to be a gatekeeper if it has over 45 million monthly active EU users. Apple's notification confirms that Maps and Ads both hit that benchmark.

But here is where Apple draws the line: The company is aggressively arguing that hitting the user number doesn't mean they’re dominant.

For Apple Maps: Apple claims its usage is "very limited" compared to giants like Google Maps and Waze.
For Apple Ads: Apple insists it holds only a "minimal share" next to rivals like Google, Meta, and TikTok.

Essentially, Apple is saying: Yes, we have a lot of users, but we don't have the market power to actually gatekeep anything.

What Happens Next? (And What the Stakes Are)

The European Commission now has 45 days to review the data and Apple’s rebuttal arguments. We should expect a final decision in early 2026.

If the EU decides to designate Maps and Ads as gatekeepers, it would be a huge deal. iOS, iPadOS, and the App Store are already under DMA rules—forcing Apple to allow third-party app stores and alternative payments. Adding Maps and Ads would significantly broaden their obligations.

The Potential Changes:

More Interoperability: For Maps, this could force Apple to allow users to choose a different default maps app system-wide, or make it easier for rival services to hook into Apple’s system features.
Data Sharing: Apple might be required to share location or analytics data with competitors to ensure a level playing field.
No Self-Preferencing: Apple would be restricted from automatically giving its own services priority placement or deeper system integration that's not available to other apps.

Apple Ads, in particular, could face stricter limits on data handling and how it targets users across the ecosystem.

This is set to be another major regulatory battle where the EU is looking at raw user volume, and Apple is desperately trying to redirect the focus to market share. The outcome will decide just how "open" the iPhone ecosystem truly becomes in Europe.