Italian competition authority investigates Apple over DMA interoperability rules

The Italian Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Apple Inc., Apple Distribution International Ltd and Apple Italia S.r.l. over their compliance with interoperability requirements under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

According to the authority, the Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party consumer cloud service providers with free and effective interoperability with its iOS and iPadOS operating systems under conditions equivalent to those available to iCloud.

The authority said there are indications that alternative cloud providers may not have access to the same hardware and software functionalities available to iCloud. As an example, the authority cited device backup functions on iOS and iPadOS, which appear to be unavailable to competing cloud services.

The investigation marks the first time the authority has exercised its powers under Italy’s 2022 Annual Law on Pro-competitive Reforms to support preliminary investigations under the DMA. The authority said its findings will be shared with the European Commission following the launch of the investigation in Rome.

Why does it matter?

The investigation highlights the growing role of national authorities in supporting enforcement of the Digital Markets Act, the EU’s flagship competition framework for large digital platforms. Interoperability requirements are a central element of the DMA, aiming to ensure that dominant platform operators do not unfairly favour their own services over competitors.

The case could also have broader implications for cloud competition and platform ecosystems. If regulators conclude that third-party providers do not have access to the same functionalities as Apple’s own services, the findings may influence how gatekeeper obligations are interpreted and enforced across the EU’s digital markets.

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