Apple's iPadOS Must Adhere To Strict Technology Regulations: EU

The European Commission had revealed that EU antitrust regulators have classified Apple's operating system for iPads as a gatekeeper under the bloc's significant tech regulations due to its significance for business users, according to a media report on Monday.

The Digital Markets Act, implemented this year, has identified 22 services belonging to major tech companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance (the owner of TikTok) as gatekeepers that regulate access to their platforms.

The European executive's decision came following a thorough investigation that began back in September last year. Apple's operating system iOS, its browser Safari and its App Store were identified as gatekeepers in the same year.

In a statement, Margrethe Vestager, the EU antitrust chief, stated that our market investigation revealed that even though it does not meet the thresholds, iPadOS serves as a crucial platform for numerous companies to connect with their customers.

Apple, given six months to adhere to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), stated its commitment to "maintain a constructive dialogue with the European Commission to ensure compliance with the DMA for all specified services."

Violations of the DMA can result in companies being fined up to 10 per cent of their worldwide annual revenue.