Apple and Microsoft are plotting to remove iMessage and Bing from the EU's ``gatekeeper'' list

Major services of major IT companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta are registered on the list of 'gatekeepers' that are subject to regulation under the ' Digital Market Law ' that will be applied in the EU from May 2022. It is believed that Under such circumstances, it is reported that Microsoft and Apple are working to remove Bing and iMessage from the gatekeeper list.

Apple and Microsoft say flagship services not popular enough to be 'gatekeepers' | Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/content/137d655b-c264-460f-bbe8-a269f0a3d8ac

Apple and Microsoft dispute iMessage and Bing EU 'gatekeeper' status - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/4/23858948/eu-microsoft-apple-bing-imessage-dma-gatekeepers-list-dispute

The European Commission proposed the Digital Markets Bill in December 2020, and it was adopted after deliberation by the European Parliament and the Council in September 2022. This Digital Market Law establishes various obligations and detailed prohibitions for major internet services designated as 'gatekeepers.' Until now, in the EU, when a violation of EU competition law by a major IT company such as Google or Meta occurred, it was necessary to investigate and prosecute after it was discovered. It is now possible.

Gatekeepers subject to the Digital Market Law are those with annual sales of 7.5 billion euros (approximately 1.19 trillion yen) or more, market capitalization of 75 billion euros (11.9 trillion yen) or more, and 45 million people. Major IT companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft and their main services are likely to be considered gatekeepers because they are certified as meeting one of the three conditions of ``number of monthly active users''. You can say that.

Seven major technology companies including Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft admit to being ``gatekeepers'' under EU digital market law - GIGAZINE

The Digital Markets Act will come into effect on May 2, 2023. On 6 September 2023, the European Commission will publish a list of companies and the services they provide that meet the definition of gatekeeper.

According to the Financial Times, Microsoft does not dispute that its Windows meets the definition of a gatekeeper, but Bing's share of the search market may further decline compared to its rival, Google Search. He claims to have sex. In fact, at the time of article creation, Google holds the lead in the search engine market share at 91.85%, and Microsoft Bing has only 3.03%.

Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Search Engine Market Share

If Microsoft's Bing is designated as a gatekeeper, Microsoft would have to offer users the option of other search engines, including Google. However, according to the Financial Times, there are voices defending Microsoft within the EU, saying that such regulations could actually boost Google's market share.

Apart from Microsoft, Apple also claims that iMessage does not meet the user count criteria and therefore does not meet the gatekeeper definition. iMessage itself is built into iPhones, iPads, and Macs, so it is expected to have around 1 billion users worldwide, but Apple has not disclosed the number of iMessage users in recent years.

The European Commission, Microsoft and Apple declined to comment when contacted by the Financial Times.

In the EU, the Digital Services Act was also adopted at the same time as the Digital Market Act and will be applied from February 2024. This Digital Services Act stipulates in detail the responsibilities and obligations of social media and search engines regarding measures against illegal content and content moderation, and companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta are having an even harder time than ever before in expanding their services in the EU. There is a possibility that it will be