Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

EU to Target Apple Maps and Apple Ads Next

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
70,169
41,728


The EU has begun looking into whether Apple Maps and Apple Ads should be designated as "gatekeepers" and subject to greater regulation (via Reuters).

iOS-26-Maps-Glass.jpg

The App Store, iOS, and Safari were classified as gatekeepers two years ago, triggering strict requirements in the EU such as support for alternative app marketplaces and third-party payment options. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), any platform with more than 45 million monthly active EU users and a market valuation above €75 billion is presumed to be a gatekeeper, subject to obligations designed to curb self-preferencing and increase interoperability.

The European Commission has now confirmed that Apple Maps and Apple Ads satisfy the user-base thresholds that mandate a review. Regulators now have 45 working days to decide whether either service should formally join Apple's existing list of designated platforms. If confirmed, Apple would then have six months to bring each service into full DMA compliance.

Apple has apparently already submitted formal rebuttals arguing that the criteria should not apply. The company argues that Apple Ads represents only a "minimal share" of the EU online advertising market, especially compared to dominant players such as Google, Meta, TikTok, Microsoft, and X. Apple also insists that its advertising business neither relies on cross-service data privileges nor exerts the level of market influence implied by the DMA thresholds.

The company is making similar arguments regarding Apple Maps, claiming that the service has "very limited usage" in the EU relative to Google Maps and Waze. Apple says Maps does not provide the kind of "critical intermediation functionality" that would allow it to act as a dominant gateway between businesses and consumers.

A gatekeeper designation for Apple Ads could have significant consequences. Compliance may require Apple to loosen restrictions introduced under App Tracking Transparency, provide interoperability for third-party ad networks, or eliminate any perceived self-preferencing advantages.

For Maps, it is unclear what specific operational changes the DMA might require, but obligations could include expanded third-party access or reducing any privileged integrations within the system. iOS 18.4 already enabled the ability to change the default maps app from Apple Maps to alternatives like Google Maps or Waze in the EU.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: EU to Target Apple Maps and Apple Ads Next
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/28/eu-targets-apple-maps-and-apple-ads/
  • Love
Reactions: ToothBlueth
ofarlig said:
Let’s hope they force Apple to allow things like the calendar app to use Google Maps for locations on things. It’s terrible to not be able to add locations directly from the calendar app since Apple Maps data is so outdated.
Click to expand...

Sure, let’s just have the European Commission take over iOS development altogether. Totally sustainable model.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
  • Disagree
Reactions: Luap, Kengineer, Unregistered 4U and 5 others
TBH, I would not mind this if it means that Apple Maps is better in the EU. I love to use my Apple Watch for directions but sometimes Apple Maps will just suggest the most ridiculous routes. Sure, it doesn't help that our cities are not laid out in nice grids like many US cities, but still...
jarman92 said:
The EC doesn’t care about privacy, they only care about padding European companies’ bottom lines.
Click to expand...
Ads, maybe, but any decisions on Apple Maps are surely just going to benefit Google, no?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: chmania
jarman92 said:
Sure, let’s just have the European Commission take over iOS development altogether. Totally sustainable model.
Click to expand...
Sadly I think it's better than the path Apple has been taking. I would much rather that politicians stay out of it as often they don't know enough to make informed decisions (e.g. cookies...) but I think there is a need for regulation when Apple is both the gatekeeper and has a commercial interest. I just don't know if Ads/Maps qualify in this case tbh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lionel77
Ubuntu said:
TBH, I would not mind this if it means that Apple Maps is better in the EU. I love to use my Apple Watch for directions but sometimes Apple Maps will just suggest the most ridiculous routes. Sure, it doesn't help that our cities are not laid out in nice grids like many US cities, but still...

Ads, maybe, but any decisions on Apple Maps are surely just going to benefit Google, no?
Click to expand...

So just use Google Maps? It also works on the Watch. And other apps could also make Watch apps if they wanted to, should the EC force every company to make one?
 
jarman92 said:
So just use Google Maps? It also works on the Watch. And other apps could also make Watch apps if they wanted to, should the EC force every company to make one?
Click to expand...
I should have clarified - the haptic feedback for left/right is what I'd love to see in other maps apps. It's been a while since I tried but I assume that's still just for Apple Maps?

EDIT: just tried it and it works with Google maps - kinda. Have to open the watch app each time and it only seems to do the haptics if the screen is on… not great.
 
Last edited:
Ever heard of Petal Maps? They work on watches too.
Anyway, on an iPhone, nothing to beat Google Maps.
 
jarman92 said:
Sure, let’s just have the European Commission take over iOS development altogether. Totally sustainable model.
Click to expand...

The customers will get a better product if there is actual competition, maybe then Apple can be bothered to make a good Maps app (and others). The lack of competition has clearly lowered Apples willingness to build something good because this cannot be the best they can produce.
 
  • Disagree
  • Like
Reactions: Lyrics23 and Kengineer
ofarlig said:
The customers will get a better product if there is actual competition, maybe then Apple can be bothered to make a good Maps app (and others). The lack of competition has clearly lowered Apples willingness to build something good because this cannot be the best they can produce.
Click to expand...

Maps is an excellent app and Apple has been improving it for literally a decade. And the idea Maps doesn't have competition is insane.

Also, this has nothing to do with competition. The EC is desperately trying to prop up (really conjure up) European tech companies through massively overbearing regulation. It they really cared about consumers or privacy or competition they wouldn't be laser-focused on Apple to the near-exclusion of actually harmful companies like Meta.
 
  • Disagree
  • Like
Reactions: Lyrics23, Kengineer, Ubuntu and 1 other person
jarman92 said:
Maps is an excellent app and Apple has been improving it for literally a decade. And the idea Maps doesn't have competition is insane.

Also, this has nothing to do with competition. The EC is desperately trying to prop up (really conjure up) European tech companies through massively overbearing regulation.
Click to expand...

Maps is fine, but the associated Yelp reviews are straight garbage. In my area, at least, no one has opened the Yelp app for a decade and half the businesses in the area aren't even listed. Point being is that I have to open Google Maps to find and look at local restaurants and such, so I might as well go ahead and use it for navigation. Trail maps, in Apple Maps aren't even worth checking out. A big state park that I frequent for running is missing 3/4 of the trails on Apple Maps.

As for the EU bit. I don't care how, I don't care why, and I don't care who benefits on the business side. I want more openness and choice as an end-user, period...and choice after ther fact, regardless of what phone or ecosystem I choose.

Edit: Oh yea, a local trailhead starts in the very middle of a major river, according to Apple Maps. Reported it several times, and it's still there almost six months later. It's actually near the river, but three miles upstream.
 
Last edited:
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: Lyrics23 and lionel77
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back