EU Regulators Say Apple Ads & Apple Maps Fall Short of DMA Gatekeeper Status

Key Takeaways

• No Gatekeeper Designation for These Services: The European Commission has concluded that Apple Ads and Apple Maps do not meet the Digital Markets Act threshold for gatekeeper status.
• Scale and Usage Were Decisive: Regulators found that Apple Maps has relatively low overall usage in the EU, while Apple Ads operates at a very limited scale in the European online advertising market.
• Notification Did Not Trigger Automatic Scrutiny: Although Apple formally notified the services in November 2025, the Commission agreed they do not function as key gateways between businesses and consumers.
• Apple’s Broader DMA Obligations Remain Intact: The decision does not affect Apple’s existing gatekeeper designation for other core platform services under the Digital Markets Act.

Deep Dive

The European Commission has decided that Apple’s advertising service Apple Ads and its mapping service Apple Maps will not be brought under the scope of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, concluding that neither service currently plays a central role in connecting businesses with consumers across the bloc.

In a decision published Wednesday, the European Commission said Apple does not qualify as a gatekeeper in relation to the two services, despite having formally notified them under the DMA late last year. Apple submitted its notification on 27 November 2025, arguing that neither service meets the legal threshold of being an “important gateway” between business users and end users.

After reviewing those arguments, the Commission agreed. Regulators found that Apple Maps has a comparatively low overall usage rate in the EU, limiting its relevance as a key access point for businesses. Apple Ads, meanwhile, was assessed as having only a modest footprint in Europe’s online advertising market, falling well short of the scale and influence envisioned by the DMA’s gatekeeper criteria.

The decision reflects the DMA’s focus on market power as it exists today, rather than on brand recognition or ecosystem reach alone. While Apple remains one of the world’s most powerful technology companies, the Commission’s assessment makes clear that not every service it operates automatically qualifies for heightened regulatory scrutiny.

That said, regulators were careful to leave the door open to future action. The Commission said it will continue to monitor how both Apple Ads and Apple Maps evolve and could revisit their status if there are significant changes in their market position or usage across the EU.

The ruling does not alter Apple’s existing obligations under the DMA. The Commission designated Apple as a gatekeeper in September 2023 and again in April 2024 for other core platform services, which remain subject to the Act’s far-reaching competition and conduct requirements under the Digital Markets Act.

For now, Apple Ads and Apple Maps stay outside that framework, underscoring the Commission’s case-by-case approach as it continues to apply the DMA across Europe’s digital economy.

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