Apple's iMessage May Dodge EU Regulatory Demand for Interoperability

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Apple's iMessage chat service may dodge EU regulatory demands for platform interoperability after all. Bloomberg reports that an investigation by the bloc's antitrust watchdog has tentatively concluded that the chat service is not popular enough with business users to warrant being subject to the new rules.

European Commisssion
The EU has been working on legislation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that would have required Apple to make changes to iMessage to make it available on other platforms. The rules will apply to tech giants that meet its "gatekeeper" criteria, force them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers.

The interoperability rules theoretically mean that Meta apps like WhatsApp or Messenger could request to interoperate with Apple's iMessage framework, and Apple would be forced to comply within the EU. But today's report suggests iMessage may fall outside the legislation because it is not widely used by businesses.

The report notes that the possible reprieve for Apple is part of a five-month market investigation by the European Commission, and Apple's exemption has not and will not be officially confirmed until the probe is completed in February.

Regardless of the investigation's conclusions, the DMA will likely still force Apple to make major changes to the way the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work in Europe. For example, it is expected to allow users to install third-party app stores and side-load apps, and give developers the ability to promote their offers outside the ‌‌‌App Store‌‌‌ and use third-party payment systems.

Tags: Apple Antitrust, European Commission, European Union, iMessage

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Top Rated Comments

jav6454 Avatar
jav6454
16 months ago
It's incongruent for EU users to state that iMessage is key when they always brag about exclusively using WhatsApp.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LiE_ Avatar
LiE_
16 months ago

Well crap. I was really hoping this would open up iMessage and force it to work with android / force an iMessage app on Android so that I can freely switch to a foldable since Apple refuses to innovate on it (extra .000004 cm extra screen via bezal shrinking is “Innovative enough” for my 15 Pro Max apparently).

Ok, now I’ll hop out before the pearl clutching folks come in and praise this since opening iMessage up will apparently bring pure evil and government intervention that will only lead to their phone literally growing legs and forcing a European uprising in the U.S
You could try

https://www.beeper.com/


Beeper Mini works differently than Beeper Cloud in important ways that increase your privacy and security. Beeper Mini is a standalone Android app. It does not require a cloud server to send and receive messages. It also implements Apple’s end-to-end encryption protocol ('https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/guide/security/sec70e68c949/web') natively within the Android app itself. All messages are end-to-end encrypted before they are transmitted directly from your device to Apple servers. Learn more about iMessage encryption on Apple Platform Security ('https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/guide/security/sec70e68c949/web') page.

This is now possible because the iMessage protocol and encryption have been reverse engineered by jjtech, a security researcher. Leveraging this research, Beeper Mini implements the iMessage protocol locally within the app.
My brother in law messaged me using it on his Pixel 7 Pro and it worked really well.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SPUY767 Avatar
SPUY767
16 months ago

So a gatekeeper e. g. META with WhatsApp can only request another gatekeeper service to interoperate with one another? What is even the point then if there isnt another company deemed a gatekeeper (for messages)? Is META supposed to interoperate with itself? :D also, didnt the EU actually forbid a while back for META to use its data between WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook??? yet now they are supposed to work between each other as a gatekeeper?
You're operating under the assumption that governmental requirements have to be actionable, or even possible. Look, man, it's more important that legislation has flowery language that makes you feel good about yourself than it is to actually accomplish anything.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
hagar
16 months ago

The EU seems to hate Apple just as much as Apple seems to hate anybody who gives them a thousand bucks every couple years.
The EU is not a conscious thing that hates and targets specific companies. And the fact that they exempt iMessage is undoubtedly something that will be very positive for Apple as they can keep doing what they want.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
CarAnalogy
16 months ago
Apple has great lawyers. Gotta be a bit of a mixed reaction to this one at the Spaceship.

Yay! We succeeded just barely enough to avoid regulatory scrutiny! Exactly 15 pieces of Flair!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DownUnderDan Avatar
DownUnderDan
16 months ago

You're operating under the assumption that governmental requirements have to be actionable, or even possible. Look, man, it's more important that legislation has flowery language that makes you feel good about yourself than it is to actually accomplish anything.
That sounded really cool when you wrote it, but of course the reality is your life is much safer because government regulation actually does protect you and the community. You don't have to go any further then your house, your community or your workplace to see the evidence.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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