Apple’s iMessage, Microsoft’s Edge browser & Bing get breather ahead of new EU act

London, Feb 13: Apple’s iMessage, along with Microsoft’s Edge browser, Bing search engine, and advertising business are not being designated as a “core platform service” under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Commission said on Tuesday.

It means that these services will not face new obligations, including a requirement to offer interoperability with other messaging services.

“The Commission has adopted decisions closing four market investigations that were launched on September 5, 2023 under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), finding that Apple and Microsoft should not be designated as gatekeepers for the following core platform services,” it said in a statement.

Apple and Microsoft had submitted ‘rebuttal' arguments, explaining why these four core platform services should not, in their view, qualify as gateways.

Following a thorough assessment of all arguments, taking into account input by relevant stakeholders, and after hearing the Digital Markets Advisory Committee, the Commission found that iMessage, Bing, Edge and Microsoft Advertising “do not qualify as gatekeeper services”.

“The Commission will continue to monitor the developments on the market with respect to these services, should any substantial changes arise,” it noted.

The decisions do not affect in any way the designation of Apple and Microsoft as gatekeepers as regards their other core platform services.

Meta has seen two of its messaging platforms, WhatsApp and Messenger, designated as core platform services under the DMA.

Apple’s Safari browser, iOS operating system and App Store still have to comply with the regulation’s requirements when DMA comes fully into force on March 7.