DMA compliance day: How Google and Apple are responding

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to regulate the internet’s “gatekeepers” – online companies with large userbases that play a significant role in the digital economy.

A major objective of the DMA is to tackle “self-preferencing” behavior among gatekeepers, who often both own and participate in key online services and marketplaces. The new rules mean certain tech giants have had to make major changes to their platforms – sometimes reluctantly.

The deadline for DMA compliance is 7 March 2024, so let’s take a look at what two of the DMA’s most important gatekeepers – Google and Apple – are doing in response to the EU’s new rules.

Google

Alphabet (Google’s parent company, we’ll just call it “Google”) owns eight “core platform services” under the DMA:

• Android OS
• Chrome browser
• Google Ads
• Google Maps
• Google Play
• Google Search
• Google Shopping

To comply with its DMA obligations, Google is making various changes across these products. On 5 March, Google published a post, Complying with the Digital Markets Act, on its The Keyword blog. The post identified four types of changes that the company was making.

Additional consents for linked services

• Google currently shares data across various products and services for personalized content and ads.
• European Economic Area (EEA)-based users will soon see an additional consent banner offering a choice around whether certain services can continue sharing data.
• Users will be able to adjust their preferences in their Google Account settings.

Changes to Google Search results

• Google is enhancing search results to help users find relevant information more effectively.
• Dedicated units with links to comparison sites will be introduced, making it easier to compare flights, hotels, and shopping options.
• Some existing features, like the Google Flights unit, will be removed from search results.

Choice screens for Android users

• Android users will see new “choice screens” during device setup.
• These screens will allow users to switch their default search engine or browser more easily.
• Similar choice screens will be implemented for Chrome browsers on desktop and iOS devices.

Data portability

• Google has offered data portability features for over a decade.
• Users can download or transfer a copy of their data from more than 80 Google products.
• To meet new DMA requirements, Google will soon test a Data Portability API for developers.

Apple

Apple has fewer “core platform services” to worry about than Google – just three of the company’s products have been designated so far:

• App Store
• iOS
• Safari browser

Despite ostensibly narrower coverage, Apple is notoriously protective of its iOS ecosystem and alleges that the DMA brings about security risks. However, Apple says it will maintain a secure experience for EU users despite being forced to open up.

Apple recently posted an article called Update on apps distributed in the European Union. Here’s a look at some of the types of changes Apple describes in this article.

App distribution options

• Developers will be allowed to distribute iOS apps on alternative app marketplaces.
• APIs and controls will allow developers to protect their intellectual property.
• Notarization – authentication of non-App Store apps – should help ensure security and system integrity for these apps.

Payment processing

• There will be new options for processing app payments on iOS.
• Developers will be allowed to use alternative payment service providers for in-app purchases.
• There will be disclosures accompanying alternative payment methods to help reduce risks for users.

Browser engines and contactless payments

• Apple will create new frameworks and APIs for alternative app marketplaces on iOS.
• Marketplace developers will be allowed to install and manage apps on behalf of other developers.
• Developers will be able to request authorization for new marketplace apps.