The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) committee has declared that four online services, namely Apple’s iMessage and Microsoft’s Bing, Edge, and Microsoft Advertising, are considered gatekeepers. This means that these platforms will have to open their platforms for other services to connect and integrate with them. However, they have not yet reached the defined criteria.
Previously, both Apple and Microsoft submitted requests to the EU to reconsider the status of these four services, citing that they have fewer users than the EU’s threshold of 45 million people. Following the decision, both Apple and Microsoft expressed their acceptance and satisfaction with the ruling.
The chat services that fall under the gatekeeper category in the European Union are WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Both services have started to open their platforms for external integrations. As for browsers, Chrome and Safari meet the criteria.
The EU committee has stated that they will continue to monitor the status of these service groups and will notify any future developments.
TLDR: The European Union’s Digital Markets Act committee has identified Apple’s iMessage and Microsoft’s Bing, Edge, and Microsoft Advertising as gatekeepers, requiring them to open their platforms for integration with other services. Apple and Microsoft had requested a reconsideration of the status, but after the decision, they expressed acceptance. Additionally, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are now allowing external integrations, while Chrome and Safari meet the criteria as gatekeeper browsers. The committee will continue to monitor these services and communicate any changes in the future.
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