This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) just put two of its own services under Europe’s microscope, telling regulators that Apple Ads and Apple Maps now meet the thresholds set by the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
That disclosure kicks off a formal review by the European Commission, which now has 45 working days to decide whether to label either service a gatekeeper. If that happens, Apple would get 6 months to comply with rules designed to make markets more open and easier for users to switch services.
Apple is already pouring cold water on the idea that it wields real market power here. The company told Reuters its ad business is small in Europe compared with Google, Meta, and Microsoft. And when it comes to maps, Apple says its usage trails far behind services like Google Maps and Waze.
The gatekeeper label brings heavier oversight and tighter rules. Bottom line is that Apple says it qualifies on paper, not in practice, and now Brussels decides what comes next.