European Union antitrust regulators are actively exploring whether Microsoft’s Bing and Apple’s iMessage should be subjected to stringent technology regulations, as reported by individuals with insider knowledge on Monday.
The European Commission initiated investigations in September to evaluate whether Microsoft’s products, including Bing, Edge, and Microsoft Advertising, along with Apple’s iMessage, should fall under the purview of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These probes followed disputes between the companies and the EU competition regulator over the classification of these services as core platform services subject to DMA regulations.
The DMA imposes obligations on major tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance. These obligations encompass permitting third-party apps or app stores on their platforms and facilitating users’ ease of transitioning from default apps to alternatives, among other requirements.
Earlier this month, the Commission distributed questionnaires soliciting feedback from rivals and users, asking them to assess the significance of Microsoft’s three services and Apple’s iMessage in comparison to competing services.
According to sources, the EU watchdog inquired about any specific aspects of the services that are essential for business users and how these services integrate into the overall ecosystems of the respective companies. The Commission also sought information about the user base of these services.
Respondents were given a brief window of less than a week to provide their feedback. The Commission is aiming to conclude its investigation within a span of five months.
