The Apple firm should be fined $500 million for unfair competition. This follows a complaint from the platformSpotifyto the European Commission last year.
The European Union has takenSpotifyvery seriously and has since accused Apple of unfair competition. This is because it prohibits developers operating on iOS from communicating about their offers outside the App Store. This is in order to take advantage of the 30% commission that it receives on each transaction within its store, but in this case there is added a factor which greatly harms Apple. It is about the fact thatthe practice favors its Apple Music platform, to the detriment of others.
Despite the position ofUEin this case, it was not certain whether it would impose a sanction on Apple. First rumorswere circulating about ten days agoconcerning a 500 million euro fine, but nothing was certain. From now on, this is no longer the case and it seems thatthe apple will have to go to the checkout, as reportedReutersfrom sources close to the case.
Sentencing on March 5
As the informants indicated to our colleagues, the European Union should officially condemn the apple company.a fine of 500 million euros on Tuesday March 5, 2024. Reutersalso specifies that the final timetable may however change, at the discretion of Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. She is responsible for antitrust within the commission.
Bad news for Apple?
The formalization of this sanction does not bode well for Cupertino. This, because it is not the only accusation against him, and which could be the subject of a convictionunder the DMA. This is particularly the case with regard to the new App Store guidelines, which were supposed to restore a balance between Apple and the companies operating in its app store. However, Apple does not see it the same way andtries as best it can to maintain a competitive advantagein view of the measures announced.
According to some, this advantage is legitimate and no one should be able to have a say. Supporters of this opinion believe that companies that do not want to comply with Apple's rules simply have to leave its ecosystem. However, the situation is more complicated than that given that it is the largest company in the world, and therefore, it is difficult to do without as it is everywhere. Such questions did not arise before the arrival of digital technology, which led to a succession of monopolies by large firms in various sectors of activity.
Apple also refused to comment on this matter.
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