Now, alongside Alphabet and Meta, Apple will be subject to stricter scrutiny and possible measures to curb its dominance.

The decision upholds the 2023 ruling by Germany’s cartel office, which effectively paints Apple as too big for its breaches. The cult of Cupertino predictably threw its toys out of the pram, claiming it is small, harmless and faces “tough competition.” It claimed the nasty regulator was picking on it because it was super, cool, innovative and American.

Jobs’ Mob claimed that regulators ignored the “value” of its walled garden business model, which it insists is all about privacy and security. That line might fly with the Apple faithful, but regulators across Europe have long been unimpressed by the company’s data-hoarding antics—especially within its App Store.

The actual muscle in this fight, however, is the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which has already been a thorn in Apple’s side since it became law in 2023. Legal experts believe Germany’s ruling will not impact the DMA’s broader crackdown on Big Tech, but it does confirm that national regulators can still assert their authority.

Cartel office president Andreas Mundt wasted no time celebrating the ruling, declaring that Job’s Mob is now officially on notice. He promised to plough ahead with investigations into how the company tracks users in third-party apps. This practice has long raised concerns about Apple’s stranglehold on app distribution and monetisation.

With the European Commission already requiring Apple to open up its App Store and allow alternative payment systems, this German ruling adds even more pressure. The tech giant is now facing regulatory heat from all sides, and no amount of sleek marketing can change the fact that its empire is under siege.