• Vestager discusses Apple app distribution and competition.
• Pichai talks DMA compliance and adtech antitrust.
• Vestager addresses EU digital regulation and tech competition.

Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s antitrust chief, met with the chief executives of tech giants Apple and Alphabet, parent company of Google, to discuss various aspects of regulation and competition policy compliance. The meetings, detailed in updates posted on the social media platform X, shed light on the ongoing efforts to address concerns related to digital regulation and competition in the European market.

Vestager’s discussions with Apple CEO Tim Cook covered a range of topics, including the company’s obligation to facilitate the distribution of its apps beyond the proprietary AppStore. Additionally, the two delved into ongoing competition cases, with a particular focus on Apple Music, the tech giant’s music streaming service.

With Sundar Pichai, the head of Alphabet and Google, Vestager explored issues related to the design of choice screens and self-preferencing in connection to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The discussions also touched on the antitrust case concerning Google’s adtech practices. The DMA, which designates companies with more than 45 million monthly active users and a market capitalization exceeding 75 billion euros as gatekeepers, imposes specific requirements on such entities. These obligations include interoperability of messaging apps with rivals and granting users the ability to decide which apps to pre-install on their devices.

While Vestager disclosed the details of her talks with Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, the content of her meeting with Qualcomm’s head, Cristiano Amon, remains undisclosed at this time.

These discussions are part of Vestager’s broader engagement strategy, where she aims to address key concerns surrounding digital regulation, compliance with the DMA, and competition policy in the European digital landscape. The outcomes of these talks could potentially influence the regulatory environment for major tech players operating within the European Union.

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