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DMA complaint against Apple for failure to enable the Tuta email app as default mail app on iOS

Or: How Apple’s gatekeeping hinders Tuta Mail offering the default mail app option on iOS.

DMA complaint against Apple for its failure to enable the Tuta email app as default mail app on iOS

We at Tuta work hard to offer a privacy-respecting alternative to Big Tech communication offerings. We are a forerunner in secure communications with the implementation of quantum-safe encryption. And while this is already a lot of effort, we are met with even more obstacles - and unnecessary ones for that matter. Over the last two months, Apple has continuously ignored our requests so that Tuta Mail can be set as the default email app on iOS devices. Despite following Apple's own procedure for requesting this functionality, we have been met with complete silence from the tech giant. So now, we have submitted a complaint based on the Digital Markets Act to the European Commission.

Update April 3, 2025, 12 pm: After a journalist contacted Apple on the issue, Apple got in touch with us in a matter of hours so that we can soon offer Tuta Mail as a default mail app on iOS. For this reason, we will withdraw the complaint to the EU and Apple does not have to fear any consequences. Please read this post to the end to understand why this is the exact problem.

Repeated attempts to get in touch with Apple

For months, we have attempted to contact Apple through official channels, both via email and public outreach on social media. To date, Apple has not acknowledged a single one of our requests.

Here is a timeline:

January 14, 2025: Sent an official request to Apple at default-mail-app-requests@apple.com

March 4, 2025: Follow-up email sent to the same address

March 18, 2025: First public appeal to Apple via X

March 27, 2025: Additional post on X repeating our request

March 31, 2025: Another follow-up email sent.

Hey @Apple, bitte lösen Sie das Problem! Tutas Versuch, Apple auf X zu kontaktieren. Hey @Apple, bitte lösen Sie das Problem! Tutas Versuch, Apple auf X zu kontaktieren.

Hey @Apple, please solve the issue! Tuta’s attempt to get in touch on X.

To date, April 3, 2025, we have not had one single reply from Apple – not even a confirmation that they have received our requests. So yesterday, on April 2, 2025, we have submitted a complaint with the EU Commission based on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) since Apple is abusing its gatekeeping position against us.

Our users have the right to select any email provider as default mail app on iOS, also ours. Apple’s refusal to address this issue, and its lack of action make it more cumbersome for our users to fully migrate to Tuta Mail - which is the opposite of allowing fair competition within the market. Apple’s unresponsiveness directly violates the principles outlined in the Digital Markets Act, which was designed to ensure a more open and competitive digital ecosystem.

We call on Apple to get in touch with us and to allow us to implement the option that our users can choose Tuta Mail as their default email app!

Tuta-Mail-Nutzer fordern Apple auf, diese Funktion zu aktivieren Tuta-Mail-Nutzer fordern Apple auf, diese Funktion zu aktivieren

Tuta Mail users urging Apple to enable this feature.

Apples lack of response

According to Apple’s own policies, developers can apply to have their apps recognized as default email applications by submitting a formal request via email. However, in our case, Apple has completely ignored any and all of our requests. The company states that these requests are typically handled within six weeks, yet we have been waiting for over eleven weeks without any communication.

Apple’s refusal to respond demonstrates its power as a gatekeeper. By simply doing nothing, Apple can and does hurt our business.

I have written an opinion piece about Apple’s malicious compliance with the DMA in regards to app side-loading, and the current case just demonstrates that Apple is not too eager to offer a fair playing field, in this case to Tuta Mail. That’s why we need legislation like the Digital Markets Act and that’s also why we are making this complaint now.

David against Goliath

This is not the first time Big Tech has attempted to suppress or impede Tuta Mail.

In 2024, Google has downranked Tuta Mail in its search results, making it harder to discover Tuta Mail as a privacy-first alternative to Gmail.

In 2023, Outlook blocked all emails from @tutanota.com as spam for several weeks, making it impossible for our users to communicate with Outlook users via email.

In 2022, ThreeUK was blocking access to Tuta Mail (formerly Tutanota) for its customers in the United Kingdom.

In 2020, AT&T was caught blocking access to Tuta Mail (formerly Tutanota) for its customers in the United States.

In 2018, Comcast was caught blocking access to Tuta Mail (formerly Tutanota) for its customers in the United States.

In each and eveyone of these cases, we have contacted the companies - several times - sometimes they even replied and engaged in a discussion with us about the issue. However, there was not one single incidence where the issue got resolved before we made it public.

It is worrying to see how Big Tech treat and disrespect other, smaller companies. This is a serious issue because many don’t have the possibilities - or the stamina - to keep fighting against such issues. Fortunately, we now have the DMA in the EU, which was created to put an end to this anti-competitive behavior.

We at Tuta will continue to speak up about corporations dominance and their tendency to abuse their power. We are committed to making the web a better, a more private place.

Illustration of a phone with Tuta logo on its screen, next to the phone is an enlarged shield with a check mark in it symbolizing the high level of security due to Tuta's encryption.