Google have turned to the EU in the hopes it will force Apple to open up it’s iMessage system.
The messaging platform is currently only available on Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads and MacBooks, and supports “enriched” services that have quickly become staples to its users, such as reactions, read receipts and drag-and-drop media support. Google launched their own Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Android devices, which offers the same features as their competitor’s platform, and has made a push to make it’s service the default for all smartphone users by turning to the EU for assistance.
According to the Financial Times, Google jointly wrote to the EU’s international market commissioner Thierry Breton with Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica, claiming that iMessage was a gatekeeping service, something the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) prohibits.
It read: “It is paramount that businesses can reach all their customers taking advantage of modern communications services with enriched messaging features.
"Through iMessage, business users are only able to send enriched messages to iOS users and must rely on traditional SMS for all the other end users.”
The tech companies then labelled “the fundamental nature” if Apple’s platform as “an important gateway between business users and their customers is without doubt justification for Apple's designation as gatekeeper for its iMessage service.”
The California-based tech giant has reportedly not responded to the allegations, but referred the Financial Times to a previous statement on the issue, in which they emphasised their service was outside of DMA rules.
The statement read: "Consumers today have access to a wide variety of messaging apps, and often use many at once, which reflects how easy it is to switch between them.
"iMessage is designed and marketed for personal consumer communications, and we look forward to explaining to the commission why iMessage is outside the scope of the DMA.”
The EU has until February next year to decide whether iMessage is in breach of their regulations.
