EU lists ‘gatekeepers’ to be regulated, opens iMessage and Bing investigations

Even if Apple and Microsoft are ultimately successful in their challenges, there would not be an immediate floodgate of arguments from other gatekeepers, as the tech firms would have needed to object to their platforms being regulated before the list was published, said Zach Meyers, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.

“Other firms could — based on whatever reasoning Apple and Microsoft made, if they are successful — ask the Commission to reopen the decision to regulate their services later, but only if there has been a 'substantial change' or a mistake,” he said, adding that alternatively, the companies could wait until the Commission conducts another review, which happens at least once every threeyears.