The European Union's antitrust regulatory authority is set to scrutinize whether Apple's 'Apple Ads' and 'Apple Maps' should be subject to the rigorous oversight stipulated by the EU's digital regulations. Earlier, these two services had already surpassed the significant thresholds outlined in the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, Apple has been contending for an exemption.

Two years prior, the EU had already designated Apple's App Store, along with other services, as 'core platform services.' Apple has informed the EU that these two services fulfill two crucial criteria for being labeled as 'gatekeepers.' Services that meet these thresholds are required to adhere to pertinent regulatory obligations.

The European Commission now has a 45-working-day window to determine whether to classify these two services as 'gatekeeper' services. Should the classification be confirmed, Apple will be mandated to implement rectifications within a six-month timeframe.

Apple has presented counterarguments, asserting that 'Apple Ads' commands a relatively modest share of the EU's online advertising market and does not leverage data from other services. Additionally, Apple claims that 'Apple Maps' has lower usage rates in the EU compared to mainstream map services and lacks key intermediary functions.