Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! Today, we have some interesting news coming from the European tech scene. It seems that Apple and Microsoft are making their voices heard in an effort to keep their beloved services, iMessage and Bing, off the EU’s list of “gatekeepers” subject to new regulations. Now, let’s dive into the details!

According to a report from Financial Times, both Apple and Microsoft are privately and separately arguing that their services should not be considered large or powerful enough to warrant the restrictions outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This act aims to promote competition in the tech industry by imposing interoperability and competition rules on designated gatekeepers.

The European Commission is set to publish a list of these gatekeepers on September 6th, which will include overall companies as well as specific services offered by them. Among the companies already known to be on the list are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, ByteDance, and Samsung. However, the commission still needs to determine which parts of their empires should be covered.

Microsoft is reportedly unlikely to dispute that its Windows platform meets the definition of a gatekeeper. However, it argues that Bing’s relatively small share of the search market compared to its competitor Google would be further diminished if it is required to offer users access to rival search engines.

On the other hand, Apple is said to be working on methods that would open up iOS to third-party app stores and sideloading in order to comply with the anticipated rules. Nevertheless, it is arguing that iMessage does not meet the DMA’s user threshold of 45 million active monthly users and therefore should not be forced to interoperate with other messaging services. Estimates suggest that iMessage could have a billion users worldwide.

The DMA is part of a series of EU laws aimed at curbing the power of tech companies. The Digital Services Act, which focuses on how platforms handle user data and moderation, recently went into effect. It’s clear that the EU is taking significant steps to ensure a fair and competitive tech landscape.

So, what do you think about Apple and Microsoft’s efforts to keep iMessage and Bing off the EU’s gatekeeper list? Are they justified in their arguments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!