Apple Notifies EU of DMA Thresholds for Ads and Maps

Apple has notified the European Commission that its advertising business and Maps service meet the user thresholds under the European Union's Digital Markets Act, setting the stage for a potential review that could classify them as gatekeepers subject to stricter regulations. The submission, dated November 27, gives regulators 45 working days to evaluate whether the services warrant the designation, a process that could conclude in early 2026.

The Digital Markets Act aims to promote fair competition in digital markets by imposing obligations on large online platforms with significant influence. Under the law, services qualify as gatekeepers if they serve at least 45 million monthly active end users in the EU and meet other criteria, such as reaching 10,000 business users annually or achieving a substantial market capitalization for the parent company. Apple's notification acknowledges that Apple Ads and Apple Maps surpass these quantitative benchmarks, though the company maintains that neither service holds dominant market positions.

In response, Apple has submitted a formal rebuttal, arguing that the services face substantial competition and do not exert gatekeeper-like...