EU May Exempt Apple's iMessage from New Digital Markets Act Regulation

Preliminary findings suggest iMessage is not an 'important gateway' for business users, potentially sparing it from interoperability requirements.

Apple's iMessage service may be exempt from the European Union's new Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulation, which targets tech 'gatekeepers' and prevents them from unfairly prioritizing their own services over competitors' platforms.
The DMA regulation, set to hit tech giants in 2024, requires large-sized messaging apps to be interoperable with other services, but early findings suggest iMessage may not have to comply due to its lack of popularity among business users in the EU.
The final decision on iMessage's status under the DMA is expected in February.
Apple recently announced support for the Rich Messaging Service (RCS), a move that could have influenced the EU's tentative decision.
Despite Apple's potential exemption, other tech companies are working on solutions to make iMessage interoperable with other platforms.