Much to my delight, the EU has determined that iPadOS meets the definition of being a Gatekeeper. This means that iPad, like iPhone, is subject to the conditions of the Digital Markets Act. Affected users will have access to alternate app stores and browser engines.

The Commission’s investigation found that Apple presents the features of a gatekeeper in relation to iPadOS, as among others:

• Apple’s business user numbers exceeded the quantitative threshold elevenfold, while its end user numbers were close to the threshold and are predicted to rise in the near future.
• End users are locked-in to iPadOS. Apple leverages its large ecosystem to disincentivise end users from switching to other operating systems for tablets.
• Business users are locked-in to iPadOS because of its large and commercially attractive user base, and its importance for certain use cases, such as gaming apps.

On the basis of the findings of the investigation, the Commission concluded that iPadOS constitutes an important gateway for business users to reach end users, and that Apple enjoys an entrenched and durable position with respect to iPadOS. Apple has now six months to ensure full compliance with the DMA obligations as applied to iPadOS.

Source: The European Commission