Brussels: The European Commission announced on Thursday that Apple's online advertising service, Apple Ads, and its digital intermediation service, Apple Maps, will not be designated as "gatekeepers" under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), as they do not meet the required criteria.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the decision was made following a notification submitted by Apple in November 2025. In this notification, Apple presented arguments asserting that these services do not constitute an "important gateway" between business users and end users.
The Commission concluded, after reviewing Apple's argument, that the company does not qualify as a "gatekeeper" for Apple Ads and Apple Maps. The determination was based on the fact that neither service represents a key channel for businesses to reach consumers within the European Union.
The Commission's assessment considered several factors, including the relatively low usage rate of Apple Maps in the EU and the very limited scale of Apple Ads in the European online advertising market.
Apple responded to the Commission's decision by expressing satisfaction. The company stated, "These two services face significant competition in Europe, and we are pleased that the Commission recognized they do not meet the criteria for designation under the Digital Markets Act."