Apple has been fined €1.84 billion by the European Union for violating antitrust rules in the music streaming services market on its iOS platform.
The fine specifically targets Apple’s anti-steering provisions, which restrict music streaming apps from informing users about cheaper options outside of the App Store.
Competitors like Spotify have argued that these restrictions place them at a disadvantage compared to Apple Music, Apple’s own music streaming service.
According to the European Commission, these restrictions limited consumer choice and prevented them from making informed decisions.
EU’s competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, stated that Apple’s rules harmed consumers by withholding critical information that could have led to more affordable subscriptions.
The Commission found Apple’s rules to be unfair trading conditions that were imposed by a dominant company without necessity or proportionality.
Spotify had filed an antitrust complaint in March 2019, accusing Apple of limiting choice and hindering innovation on the App Store. The EU initiated a formal investigation in June 2020 concerning anti-competitive practices.
The penalty imposed on Apple includes a fine of around €40M for breaching EU rules, with an additional “lump sum” of €1.8BN to account for the harm caused to consumers and deter future violations.
Apple has criticized the Commission’s decision in a blog post, denying any evidence of consumer harm and defending the competitiveness of the market.
This story is developing… refresh for updates
