The EU wanted to force Apple to open up iMessage to other apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, but a probe found that iMessage is not popular enough to pose a threat to competition.

The EU said that iMessage and Microsoft's Bing were not "gatekeepers" controlling the digital market, unlike Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, and TikTok, under the EU's watchful eye.

The EU has been trying to make Apple change iMessage for months. Still, Apple has thrown its toys out of the pram, saying that iMessage is part of its "ecosystem" and that opening it up would harm its privacy and security.

The EU backed down after a five-month investigation, which gave Apple a breather. But Apple is not off the hook yet. The EU is still making Apple let users download and install apps from other sources than the App Store, which could hurt Apple's profits.

The changes will come with iOS 17.4 in March.