The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has come into force, and it’s meant that some of the world’s biggest tech companies are having to make major changes to how they operate.
The law, which is designed to increase competition in the EU’s digital markets, designates some large online companies and their services as “gatekeepers.” Those that have received the gatekeeper designation — the companies on the list are Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft — have to meet strict requirements intended to reduce anticompetitive behavior.
Specific changes include Apple allowing alternative app stores on iOS, Meta making WhatsApp interoperable with other messaging services, and Google letting EU users choose which services share their data. But it’s likely we haven’t seen the last of the changes brought about by the DMA, as critics push back against how the likes of Apple are complying with the law in the hope that it’ll change its approach.
You can read all of our coverage about the DMA below.
Highlights
Aug 16
Playing Fortnite on iPhone again has shown me an alternate future
It’s been a while, old friend. Photo by Callum Booth / The VergeFor the first time since August 2020, Fortnite is back on iOS, and it’s just as exciting and engaging as ever — although a lot has changed in that time.
Read Article >Following years of legal battles, rumors, and the launch of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Epic Games’ flagship title has reappeared on the newly launched Epic Games Store on iOS and Android, as well as the AltStore PAL third-party marketplace.
Aug 9
Apple adds nearly endless 20 percent fee for developers in latest EU update
Illustration: The VergeApple is tweaking its App Store rules in the EU after regulators charged the company with breaking the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in June. At first glance, the updated rules appear to give developers more freedom when linking to outside purchases — but a restrictive new fee structure will force developers to pay Apple a commission for sales made across any platform, not just iOS, for as long as they include outside links.
Read Article >Starting this fall, all developers in the EU will be able to include links that lead to purchases outside their apps. The updated rules will let developers tell their users about offers on the web, on another app store, or otherwise “at a destination of their choice.” It allows developers to include as many links as they want and gives users an option to disable in-app scare screens.
Jul 17
Court rejects TikTok’s effort to skirt EU competition rules.The EU’s General Court has ruled that TikTok parent company ByteDance meets the required user threshold to be a “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act.
TikTok has claimed it wasn’t valuable enough, and failed to obtain interim measures to avoid having to comply with DMA rules while it appealed the designation. The decision can still be appealed to the European Court of Justice.
Jul 6
Epic says its EU iOS app store is approved but that Apple wants a change
Illustration: Alex Castro / The VergeThe Epic Games Store app for EU iPhones has passed Apple’s notarization process, putting the alternative app store a step closer to selling apps directly to iOS users outside of the App Store. AppleInsider reports that while Apple confirmed the app had passed, it has asked Epic to “fix the buttons” in a future submission to the company’s app review process.
Read Article >But the approval is just “temporary,” posted Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, who puts Apple’s request differently. He says the company is “demanding we change the buttons in the next version,” vowing that the company will “fight this.” The apparently conditional approval is just the latest part of the back-and-forth saga between Apple and Epic. Previously, Apple reinstated Epic Games Sweden’s European developer license after EU regulators started investigating its decision to pull it.
Jul 5
Epic is one step closer to relaunching Fortnite on iPhones — in the EU.Hours after posting that a notarization submission for the Epic Games Store had been rejected by Apple, Epic and its CEO Tim Sweeney now say it has been un-rejected (a familiar situation here).
We’re still months away from EU residents actually getting the store on their iPhones and iPads, complete with Fortnite, but one barrier has been removed.
Jul 1
Fortnite is getting closer to a return on iOS in the EU.Epic Games has submitted the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to Apple for notarization. The company aims to launch them both in the EU on iOS in “the next couple months.”
In January, Epic said it planned to bring both to iOS “this year.”
Jul 1
Facebook and Instagram’s ‘pay or consent’ ad model violates the DMA, says the EU
Image: The VergeThe EU has formally charged Meta with violations of its Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking its second such charge in as many weeks. The European Commission writes in a preliminary ruling that the “pay or consent” advertising model that launched last year for Facebook and Instagram users runs afoul of Article 5(2) of the DMA by not giving users a third option that uses less data for ad targeting but is still free to use.
Read Article >Regulators found in their investigation that Meta gives users a “binary choice” that forces them to either choose to pay a monthly subscription fee to get the ad-free version of Facebook and Instagram or consent to the ad-supported version. Where Meta runs afoul of its rules, it says, is by not letting users opt for a free version that “uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the ‘personalised ads’ based service” and by not allowing them to “exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data.”
Jun 28
EU competition chief isn’t happy with Apple’s AI snub.Apple cited “regulatory uncertainties” and “interoperability requirements” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as reasons for delaying its AI features on EU iPhones, but Margrethe Vestager suggested something more sinister is at play at a Forum Europa event on Thursday:
“I find that very interesting, that they say ‘we will now deploy AI where we’re not obliged to enable competition.’ I think that is the most stunning, open declaration that they know 100 percent that this is another way of disabling competition where they have a stronghold already.”
Jun 24
Apple is first company charged with violating EU’s DMA rules
Apple is once again the focus of the EU’s competition policy. Cath Virginia / The VergeApple’s App Store “steering” policies violate the EU’s Digital Markets Act meant to encourage competition, said regulators in their preliminary ruling Monday. The European Commission has also opened a new investigation into Apple’s support for alternative iOS marketplaces in Europe, including the core technology fee it charges developers.
Read Article >“Our preliminary position is that Apple does not fully allow steering,” said Margrethe Vestager who heads up competition policy in Europe. “Steering is key to ensure that app developers are less dependent on gatekeepers’ app stores and for consumers to be aware of better offers.”
Jun 21
Apple may delay AI features in the EU because of its big tech law
Illustration: Cath Virginia / The VergeApple says upcoming features like its Apple Intelligence generative AI tools, iPhone mirroring, and SharePlay screen sharing may not be available in the European Union this year, as reported previously by Bloomberg.
Read Article >Why? The Digital Markets Act (DMA), says Apple, citing the EU law that puts strict requirements on the “gatekeepers” that control massive online platforms to block anticompetitive behavior. Recently, rumors have indicated that Apple and Meta could soon face charges over DMA violations.
Jun 14
Apple and Meta could face charges for violating EU tech rules
Cath Virginia / The VergeApple and Meta could soon face charges from the European Commission for violating Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules. The Financial Times reported Friday that the Commission is planning to charge Apple, and Reuters reported later that Meta could be charged as well.
Read Article >The Commission is reported to be targeting Apple over its “steering” rules that charge developers for pointing to third-party purchase options. Meta’s charges will reportedly revolve around its ad-free subscription for Facebook and Instagram in the EU.
Jun 14
Apple could soon face charges in the EU over its App Store policy.EU regulators are preparing to charge Apple over claims it’s stifling competition by charging developers to link users to outside purchases, according to The Financial Times. The decision is expected in the coming weeks and would mark the first time the EU has charged a company under the newly-imposed Digital Markets Act.
Jun 6
Four Apple App Store alternatives are now live in Europe.The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force in March, resulting in the launch of the following new third-party iOS app marketplaces:
• AltStore Pal (hands-on)
• SetApp Mobile (hands-on)
• Aptoide game store (hands-on)
• Mobivention (hands-on)
Each has its own pros and cons but none has been able to upset the balance of power in Europe.
Jun 6
We tested Aptoide, the first free iPhone app store alternative
The Aptoide iOS game store launches in closed beta today in Europe. Photo by Thomas Ricker / The VergeThe popular alternative Android marketplace Aptoide just launched as a challenger to the Apple App Store in Europe. We’ve seen a trickle of stores launch since March when the Digital Markets Act (DMA) forced Apple to support third-party iOS app marketplaces — but nothing has so far managed to upset the balance of power and change the status quo.
Read Article >Aptoide has been around since 2009 and is primarily known as a Google Play alternative for Android users. The Portugal-based company says it currently hosts 1 million apps for some 400 million users. The iOS app store Aptoide is launching today (as an invite-only beta) is a different beast, however, as it only distributes games. It’s the first marketplace of this type available for Apple devices — and its freemium structure could prove very attractive to both developers and users alike.
May 14
Web-based app distribution is go in Europe.The EU’s DMA rules have resulted in the launch of two third-party app stores for iPhone owners: AltStore PAL last month and Setapp Mobile today.
With the release of iOS 17.5, companies like Spotify and Epic now have the option of distributing apps directly from their own websites as well, assuming Apple’s rules aren’t too onerous.
May 14
Setapp Mobile is a completely new take on the iPhone’s app store
Setapp Mobile makes every app available for one subscription. There’s been little for Europeans to celebrate since the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) forced Apple to allow third-party marketplaces for iPhone apps. While the launch of AltStore PAL has potential, Apple’s loosening of App Store restrictions to allow emulators took away the marketplace’s main selling point. But now, there’s another alternative app store launching that could really shake up the entire sector: MacPaw’s Setapp Mobile.
Read Article >Setapp Mobile enters an invite-only beta today, and we’ve spent the past week giving it a good going over. The verdict? Setapp Mobile’s subscription-based approach opens up an exciting new way of using an iPhone, one where you can play with a range of apps without being stung by reduced features, ads, nags to upgrade, or spending money on something you may not even use. Well, if you live in the EU, of course.
May 13
The EU’s list of gatekeeper services hits 24.After placing iPadOS under its Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules last month, the European Commission has now designated Booking as a Gatekeeper, finding its online intermediation service Booking.com “meets the relevant thresholds” to be a core platform service.
That’s two additional services (and one new Gatekeeper) now on the list since the first 22 were named in September.
The EU hasn’t found time to update its own DMA designations graphic so we did it for them. Image: The European Commission / The VergeMay 9
Why Spotify is still fighting with Apple in Europe
Image: Nick Barclay / The VergeOver the past couple of months, Spotify has been submitting update after update to Apple, changing the interface of its music streaming service to display pricing information in-app for users in the European Union. For users, this is barely worth noticing. But for Spotify, each submission has been yet another skirmish in its yearslong legal struggle with Apple in the EU. And right now, Spotify is the closest it’s ever been to getting Apple to finally cave.
Read Article >In March, the European Commission ruled against Apple in an antitrust action over App Store restrictions on music streaming services. In 2019, Spotify filed an antitrust complaint against Apple, claiming that the App Store’s cut of subscription fees — which can be up to 30 percent — stifled innovation and harmed consumer choice. The Commission ultimately agreed with Spotify on its anti-steering complaints and hit Apple with a €1.84 billion (about $2 billion) fine. It also determined that the company’s anti-steering rules are illegal and ordered Apple to allow music streaming services to “freely communicate with” their users “within their apps about available subscription options,” including linking to external subscription options.
May 2
Apple gives small developers more ways around its alternative app store tax
Image: The VergeApple is exempting more developers from the Core Technology Fee (CTF) it introduced in the European Union. In an update on Thursday, Apple announced that developers of free apps without monetization won’t have to pay the new fee.
Read Article >To qualify, Apple says free apps must not have “revenue of any kind,” including money made from physical or digital goods, as well as advertising. “This condition is intended to give students, hobbyists, and other non-commercial developers an opportunity to create a popular app without paying the CTF,” Apple writes in the update.
Apr 29
iPads join iPhones in requirement to follow strict EU rules
iOS, Safari, and the App Store were already designated as Gatekeeper services under the DMA in September 2023. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeFollowing an almost eight-month investigation into whether Apple’s iPadOS holds enough market power to warrant stricter regulation, the European Commission has now designated the iPad operating system as a Gatekeeper service under its flagship Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules.
Read Article >“The Commission concluded that iPadOS constitutes an important gateway for business users to reach end users, and that Apple enjoys an entrenched and durable position with respect to iPadOS,” reads a statement published by the Commission on Monday. “Apple now has six months to ensure full compliance with the DMA obligations as applied to iPadOS.”
Apr 17
Third-party iPhone app store AltStore PAL is now live in Europe
That €1.50 per year subscription does not include tax but does offset Apple’s Core Technology Fee. Image: AltStore PALAfter we recently tested it in beta, the third-party iOS app store AltStore PAL is now live in the European Union thanks to Apple’s compliance with the region’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The store requires a €1.50 (plus tax) annual subscription to cover Apple’s Core Technology Fee (CTF) for installing the app marketplace itself.
Read Article >Installing AltStore PAL requires clicking through a lot of Apple’s clumsily implemented scare sheets that double and triple check your desire to install apps from outside Apple’s App Store. But with persistence and enough clicks it eventually installs.
Apr 16
The latest iOS 17.5 beta allows EU users to download apps from the web.That doesn’t mean users can download just any app from the web, as Apple has created a strict set of guidelines developers must meet to take advantage of the update. Apple also started letting users in the EU use alternative app stores last month.
Apr 10
Third-party browsers report record iPhone users.Aloha Browser says EU users jumped 250 percent in March after the Digital Markets Act forced Apple to display a new default browser choice screen. It joins Brave, Firefox, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Opera in reporting user spikes, according to Reuters.
Nevertheless, the EU is investigating Apple’s implementation over complaints that it’s too complicated.
Apr 5
Google's blog post takes jabs at Europe’s Digital Markets Act.Google says it’s just pointing out trade-offs in the law as it details “concerns we’re hearing” since complying with the new rules.
This includes greater traffic to travel aggregators (think: Booking.com and Trivago) at the expense of engagement with airline and hotel sites. Google says hotels have seen direct booking clicks fall, driving them to intermediaries that charge fees. And, consumers who dislike that it’s harder to find Maps on Google Search.
Apr 3
iOS 17.5 supports website distribution of apps in Europe.The first beta arrives ahead of the full rollout promised for “later this spring,” allowing app installs directly from a website for developers that agree to Apple’s strict terms and fees. It’s yet another distribution method enabled by the DMA, including alternative app marketplaces that are just starting to rollout for Europeans.
9to5Mac has a roundup of all the beta’s newness including some design changes and anti-stalking features.