On November 27, 2025 (local time), the European Commission was notified by Apple Inc. that its core platform services, Apple Ads and Apple Maps, had surpassed the thresholds outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Under the DMA, a company qualifies as a 'gatekeeper' if it meets several criteria: a market capitalization exceeding €75 billion, annual European sales of at least €7.5 billion, 45 million active end-users, and more than 10,000 enterprise users. The European Commission now has a 45-working-day window to determine whether to designate Apple Inc. as a 'gatekeeper' for either Apple Ads or Apple Maps.

Should Apple be designated as such, it will be obligated to adhere to DMA requirements within six months. These requirements include preventing self-preferencing (where a company favors its own products or services over those of competitors), improving interoperability (the ability of different systems and organizations to work together), and providing fair access conditions for competitors. Previously, Apple's App Store, iOS, and Safari were already designated as 'gatekeepers.' This led to the EU imposing requirements on Apple to support open measures, such as allowing third-party app stores and alternative payment methods.