Both companies have been in the European Commission's crosshairs since March last year over concerns that they may not be complying with the Digital Markets Act.

The European Commission — the EU's executive body — on Wednesday announced antitrust charges on Google and ordered Apple to take steps to comply with the bloc's Digital Markets Act. The DMA is a landmark law that aims to bring down barriers to competition in the technology sector,

The DMA, or Digital Markets Act, is an antitrust law that passed in 2022. It’s designed to regulate large tech firms that receive “gatekeeper” status from the European Commission. Apple and Google received that designation about a year after the DMA went into effect.

Within weeks of Apple launching its budget smartphone, the iPhone 16e, Google unveiled its new ‘affordable’ handset, the Pixel 9a.

After a ton of leaks, Google officially announced the $499 Pixel 9a, which has the potential to be the new king of mid-range phones.