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EU Court confirms Apple as digital gatekeeper under DMA
The General Court of the European Union (EuG) has upheld the European Commission's decision to classify Apple as a "digital gatekeeper" under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This ruling, issued in July 2026, confirms that Apple's App Store, iOS operating system, and Safari web browser serve as critical interfaces that fall under strict regulatory requirements for interoperability and competitive neutrality.
A key component of the ruling concerns the structural definition of the App Store. Apple had argued that its marketplaces should be evaluated separately based on specific hardware, such as the iPhone versus the Mac. However, the court rejected this argument, ruling that the App Store constitutes a single, unified service that extends across five device types: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV.
This classification ensures that DMA regulations apply to the App Store's business model across Apple's entire product ecosystem, rather than being applied on a device-by-device basis.
Entities
App Store · Apple · Digital Markets Act · European Commission · European Court of Justice · European Union · General Court of the European Union · iOS
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Apple's gatekeeper designation applies to the App Store, iOS, and Safari. www.it-boltwise.de · borncity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The court defined the App Store as a single service spanning five device types, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV. www.it-boltwise.de · borncity.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The General Court of the European Union (EuG) confirmed Apple's status as a digital gatekeeper on July 8, 2026. www.it-boltwise.de · borncity.com