Summary
- The EU now says Apple must bring its iPad line of tablets into compliance with its DMA rules.
- The iPad is expected to gain app sideloading and the ability to uninstall more preloaded apps as a result.
- Apple now has six months to bring iPadOS into compliance, something it has already done for iOS and the iPhone.
For years, the Apple ecosystem stood like a fortress, closed and isolated. However, the EU’s DMA rules, which came into effect on March 7 this year, have forced the iPhone maker to open its gates. This shift in policy, including the allowance of app sideloading on iOS, marks a significant change for Apple. Furthermore, it’s not just the iPhone being affected. EU lawmakers are now setting their sights on the iPad, aiming to subject it to the same DMA rules.
Google’s changes to the Play Store and Search weren’t enough to avoid further DMA scrutiny
Alphabet, Apple, and Meta are already under investigation for non-compliance in the EU
As reported by Bloomberg, the Apple iPad has been added to the growing list of “gateway” products that must adhere to the EU’s DMA obligations. Among other things, this means that Apple will need to introduce app sideloading capabilities to its tablet, mirroring the changes made for iPhones. On top of this, iPad users will gain the ability to uninstall additional preloaded apps, giving them more control over their devices.
Apple has been given a six-month window to adapt its tablet ecosystem to meet the requirements of the EU’s DMA. Failure to do so could result in significant financial penalties, with the EU stating that non-compliant companies could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global turnover.
Apple has six months to make iPad compatible with DMA
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said subjecting the iPad to the DMA preserves fairness and competition in the market. Given that ripple effects of the DMA have already hit Apple’s iOS, App Store, and Safari, it’t not surprising to see iPadOS added to the bandwagon. Vestager says, “iPadOS constitutes an important gateway on which many companies rely to reach their customers.”
Despite Apple’s compliance with DMA rules in the EU, the company has filed a lawsuit with the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg to challenge some law designations. For example, Apple claims some DMA requirements undermine security on its devices and put user’s data at risk.
EU lawmakers have designated Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and ByteDance as “gatekeeper” companies, meaning their market caps exceed 75 billion euros ($81.7 billion) and their platforms have at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU. Companies that get the gatekeeper label are obligated to comply with DMA rules.
As we reported earlier, the EU’s DMA rules for default browsers are working, leading to a spike in the region’s user base for smaller web browser apps. Additionally, with Apple opening up its ecosystem, more retro gaming emulators are coming to the App Store.
