EU backs down, won't force Apple to open iMessage to rivals

The European Union has accepted Apple's argument that iMessage isn't used enough to require that it be interoperable with third-party messaging services.Apple's iMessageIn 2022, the EU passed its Digital Markets Act, which sets certain constraints on what it defines as 'gatekeeper' keeper services. These included App Store and also messaging services, and initially Apple confirmed that its iMessage qualified for the EU's definition.Apple later walked that back, however, and argued that iMessage specifically in Europe was too little used to meet the EU's threshold for gatekeeper status. In September 2023, both Apple's iMessage and Microsoft's Bing were given a reprieve while the firms' arguments were heard. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums