The European Union has added Apple’s (AAPL) iPad to the list of products and technologies governed by the new Digital Markets Act (DMA), aimed at curbing potential anti-competitive practices by major tech firms.
The tech giant has been given six months to ensure that its iPad ecosystem aligns with the Act's preventive measures.
The DMA already applies to Apple’s iOS, App Store, and Safari browser and seeks to dismantle competitive barriers by prohibiting firms from favoring their own services, merging user data across services, and using third-party merchant data to compete against them. It also mandates that users be able to download apps from alternative platforms and uninstall preinstalled apps.
The DMA’s moves heavily affect key business models of six major tech companies, including Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Google, Amazon, and TikTok's owner ByteDance, enforcing obligations designed to prevent these digital “gatekeepers” from abusing their dominant positions.
The law, which took full effect on March 7, prohibits tech giants from giving preferential treatment to their own services over those offered by their competitors.