Apple Argues iMessage Isn't Popular Enough in the EU to Be Regulated

[MacRumors]

Apple argues that iMessage is not sufficiently popular to be classified as a "gatekeeper" under EU law, the Financial Times reports.

The discussion comes ahead of the publication of the first list of services to be regulated by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The legislation introduces new rules that apply to tech giants that meet its "gatekeeper" criteria and force them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. For example, Apple could be forced to allow third-party companies and rival apps like Meta's WhatsApp to integrate directly with iMessage.

In recent correspondence with the European Commission, Apple argued that iMessage does not meet the number of users at which the DMA's rules apply, and should not be obliged to comply with it as a result. Analysts estimate that iMessage has as many as one billion users around the world, but Apple has not disclosed any official numbers about the service for several years, or how many users it has in Europe specifically. Whether iMessage will be included on the EU's initial list of gatekeeper services will depend on how it defines the market in which it operates.

The DMA could prompt similar major changes to the way in which the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work over the next couple of years. Apple is expected to add support for sideloading apps from outside the App Store on iPhones and iPads in Europe via an update to iOS 17 due to the DMA's requirements.

Article Link: Apple Argues iMessage Isn't Popular Enough in the EU to Be Regulated

 

[hacky]

That's true. WhatsApp all the way over here.

Many US readers don't understand how small share iPhone (and Apple products in general) has in the Europe compared to the US. Wast majority owns Android over here.

 

[nerdAFK]

1. Marketing department touts iMessage to the WHOLE world with big words every year in various occasions.
2. Please don't regulate me because I'm not popular enough in your region.

You can't have it both ways.

 

[krspkbl]

Most people look at me like I'm an idiot when I say they can just message me through iMessage instead of WhatsApp. I'm in the UK by the way.

It's got to the point I give up and just installed WhatsApp. I hate Meta but it's less hassle. I like iMessage but now I've been using WhatsApp I can see why it's prefered. WhatsApp is by far the better communication platform.

 

[Omega Mac]

EUSSR is a total croc at this point. Especially for the non-mcerantlist hegemon nations i.e. it's been great for Germany. It has to break up sooner rather than later. Europe was far superior place when the Nations had their own currencies. Homgneous nations. That was Europe, the EUSSR is doomed to fail. It's a total cluster**** . Mass invasion on going, converting to 3rd world status on the streets. Sad.

Yea WhatsApp is way more adopted, probably because so many are also on Android and it just took off whenever, it was probably pushed, is it owned by facebooK? If so, that's probably why. Facebook is also a croc. Big tech has actually ruined countries, and now it's ruining children and childhood.

Did we really want any of this?

All the EUSSR is exactly this but with a tech bloc it can over regulate. We knew these days were coming but none the less, the real world damage done it is not cognisant in any of the EUSSR moves, in fact, it only consolidates and builds on it, the continuous power grabs is never ending. Totalitarianism. The people of Europe don't even get to elect the silly EU president. All part of the consolidate power over the entire world and big tech is part of that plan. Big time. Certain sites are banned by the EU. Sound liek China much? It's going that way. The ESG life is also a croc. ESG has ruined everything.

 

[fatTribble]

Wow! Seems like a huge over reach by the UK government!
Apple definitely needs their technical guidance 😳🙄

Edit: Sorry….EU…not UK ☺️

 

[nicolas_s]

That's true. WhatsApp all the way over here.

Many US readers don't understand how small share iPhone (and Apple products in general) has in the Europe compared to the US. Wast majority owns Android over here.

Europeans: Apple isn't a thing here, and iMessage is barely used. We all use Android.
Also Europeans: ApPlE mOnOpOlIsTiC bEhAvIoR

 

[5232152]

 

[hacky]

Europeans: Apple isn't a thing here, and iMessage is barely used. We all use Android.
Also Europeans: ApPlE mOnOpOlIsTiC bEhAvIoR

Never said "all". Majority. It's still a thing.

Also this article is literally about EU not regulating iMessage. So what's your point?

 

[hacky]

Most people look at me like I'm an idiot when I say they can just message me through iMessage instead of WhatsApp. I'm in the UK by the way.

It's got to the point I give up and just installed WhatsApp. I hate Meta but it's less hassle. I like iMessage but now I've been using WhatsApp I can see why it's prefered. WhatsApp is by far the better communication platform.

Well in the near future there actually may be no iMessage for you https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/art...apple-warns-halt-imessage-and-facetime-in-uk/

 

[solq]

Yea WhatsApp is way more adopted, probably because so many are also on Android and it just took off whenever, it was probably pushed, is it owned by facebooK? If so, that's probably why. Facebook is also a croc. Big tech has actually ruined countries, and now it's ruining children and childhood.

WhatsApp is a really good app, it was developed by some indie, it used to have a small subscription fee, it was bought by Facebook a while ago.

It got worldwide acceptance (-US) because it’s a good comms platform. From personal experience I know it’s widely used in Europe and Asia.

I agree that iMessage is a really small player in Europe and doesn’t qualify as a ”gatekeeper” at all.

 

[brandscill]

Wow! Seems like a huge over reach by the UK government!
Apple definitely needs their technical guidance 😳🙄

What has it got to do with the UK Government? This is the EU, not the UK.

 

[one more]

Fair enough, as iMessage is not cross-platform and there are lots of Android phones in Europe.

 

[Wildkraut]

iMessage has as many users the iPhone has, simply as that. Apple will have to open it or get fined.

 

[User 6502]

Well in the near future there actually may be no iMessage for you https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/art...apple-warns-halt-imessage-and-facetime-in-uk/

Very few people would notice it at all if that happened. I don’t know anyone who uses FaceTime or iMessage.

 

[senttoschool]

Leave it up to EU to regulate out innovation. How many innovative tech companies does the EU have? Want to know why? Look at their regulations.

Since the EU can't compete on innovative tech companies, they're forced to regulate tech companies from other countries.

 

[hacky]

iMessage has as many users the iPhone has, simply as that. Apple will have to open it or get fined.

Yes and it's only 25% of whole smart phone segment.

 

[hacky]

Leave it up to EU to regulate out innovation. How many innovative tech companies does the EU have? Want to know why? Look at their regulations.

Since the EU can't compete on innovative tech companies, they're forced to regulate tech companies from other countries.

Are you for real? Plenty of European innovative tech companies. Your comment seems to be typical American view - we have all and others do not have anything. That's really out of reality. Did you travel to the Europe at least once?

Some source to back-up my claim https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-most-innovative-companies-europe-201200980.html?guccounter=1

What are the 10 most innovative European companies?

Answer: In depends massively on how you define innovation, as you can see from three online lists that all ostensibly answer this question. The World's Most Innovative Companies by Forbes uses the concept of "Innovation Premium", calculated by comparing Net Present Value of cash flows from exist...

www.quora.com

 

[MrCrowbar]

iMessage is the worst. It's lacking basic features and is full of silly nonsense.

 

[5232152]

Yes and it's only 25% of whole smart phone segment.

"Only"??
The EU is almost 450 million people. That number is high.

 

[IIGS User]

I use iMessage exclusively on my iPhone. I refuse to touch anything even remotely related to Meta, either on my phone or on my Mac. No FB, no Insta, none of it.

Everyone I know with an iPhone uses iMessage. I don’t know what Android users use, and I think I know a total of 5 people in my life with Android phones and what they use is their business.

Eventually. Apple will be required to open iMessage up to other platforms. I get it I suppose. I don’t think the government should mandate it. But I will be enjoying USB C on my new iPhone later this month.

 

[bob24]

That's true. WhatsApp all the way over here.

Many US readers don't understand how small share iPhone (and Apple products in general) has in the Europe compared to the US. Wast majority owns Android over here.

While there is no doubt about WhatsApp dominating the market, there are also tens if not hundreds of millions of iPhones, iPad, and Macs in Europe which all have iMessage enabled by default (and whereby users might be using iMessage without even knowing it because to them it looks like a text message). So I have no doubt the European Commission will look carefully into how Apple are computing their figures and how they flag an “active user” (depending on how you define it, you can probably reach different conclusions on whether iMessage falls under the regulation).

 

[hacky]

While there is no doubt about WhatsApp dominating the market, there are also tens if not hundreds of millions of iPhones, iPad, and Macs in Europe which all have iOS enabled by default (and whereby users might be using iMessage without even knowing it because to them it looks like a text message). So I have no doubt the European Commission will look carefully into how Apple are computing their figures and how they flag an “active user” (depending on how you define it, you can probably reach different conclusions on whether iMessage falls under the regulation).

It definitely is possible. And to be honest. Cross-platform open-standard like iMessage would be great.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

That's true. WhatsApp all the way over here.

Many US readers don't understand how small share iPhone (and Apple products in general) has in the Europe compared to the US. Wast majority owns Android over here.

In Scandinavia the iPhone has 50% of the market. On average in Europe, the iPhone is at around 33%. I wouldn't call that small.

 

[Cromulent]

I'm English and I've never used iMessage. Everyone uses WhatsApp here.