More Trouble for Apple As Italy Opens Probe Over iCloud Competition Under EU Digital Markets Act

Italy's competition regulator has opened an investigation into Apple over its compliance with interoperability requirements under the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking the first probe launched by the country's watchdog under the legislation. The investigation centres on whether rival cloud service providers are being given the same level of access to Apple's ecosystem as iCloud.

Under the DMA, designated gatekeepers such as Apple are required to ensure that third-party providers of consumer cloud services can interoperate effectively and free of charge with hardware and software components controlled through iOS and iPadOS. The rules are intended to prevent platform owners from giving their own services an unfair advantage over competitors.

Regulator Questions Equal Access to Apple's Ecosystem

According to the Italian competition authority, it has evidence suggesting that third-party consumer cloud service providers may not have access to the same components used or made available to Apple's own iCloud service.

If confirmed, such a disparity could place competing services at a disadvantage and potentially amount to a breach of the interoperability obligations imposed by the Digital Markets Act.

The watchdog said the preliminary investigation will examine whether Apple has complied with its obligations and whether competing cloud services can genuinely operate on an equal footing within the company's ecosystem.

Findings to Be Sent to the European Commission

The Italian regulator noted that the results of its investigation will be forwarded to the European Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the Digital Markets Act across the European Union. The legislation allows national authorities to conduct preliminary investigations and share their findings with Brussels.

The case is significant as it represents the first investigation opened by Italy's competition authority under the DMA, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny of large technology companies and their control over digital ecosystems.

Apple has faced increasing pressure in Europe over issues ranging from app store policies to interoperability requirements, with regulators seeking to ensure that competing services have fair access to platforms dominated by major technology firms.