Current location:health >>
EU set to fine Apple $540 mln for unfair play
health74637People have gathered around
IntroductionU.S. tech giant Apple will soon be hit with a fine of up to 500 million euros ($540 million) from th ...
U.S. tech giant Apple will soon be hit with a fine of up to 500 million euros ($540 million) from the European Union for breaking the law on access to music streaming services, marking a significant setback for the company.
The European Commission has been investigating whether Apple had distorted competition in the music streaming market by blocking certain apps from informing iPhone users about more cost-effective subscription options outside of its own platform.
The announcement of the fine, which would be the EU's first against Apple, is expected early next month, the Financial Times reported, which cited five people close to the investigation. In 2020, Apple faced a 1.1-billion-euro fine in France for purported anti-competitive practices.
The EU investigation was initiated after an official complaint from music streaming service Spotify in 2019 that claimed it had been forced to raise its monthly subscription fees to off set expenses linked to Apple's App Store regulations.
The probe explored whether Apple's "anti-steering" conditions violated the bloc's rules on abuse of dominance, potentially disadvantaging music consumers by leading to increased costs for apps.
Spotify alleged that Apple restricts choice and competition within its App Store by imposing a 30 percent fee on all transactions.
Additionally, Apple prohibited Spotify and other companies from notifying customers on their devices that they could bypass the commission and secure a more favorable deal by registering on Spotify's website.
Apple contends that its fee is warranted because of substantial investments in maintaining a secure app store and granting Spotify access to a vast customer base.
Anti-competitive fees
In contrast, Spotify asserts that Apple Music, Apple's in-house music streaming service, does not incur equivalent expenses, leading to an unfair advantage and characterizing the fees as anti-competitive.
The European Commission is expected to declare Apple's actions illegal because they run counter to the bloc's rules that uphold competition in the single market.
Apple and other major tech operations are facing continuing heightened scrutiny because of competition concerns. Google is currently appealing fines exceeding 8 billion euros imposed by the EU across three competition investigations.
In a bid to pacify Brussels, Apple revealed alterations to its iOS mobile software, App Store and Safari browser last month, enabling companies to indicate more affordable subscription alternatives outside their platforms. Apple claimed that these adjustments "give developers choice". Upon the disclosure, Spotify criticized the modifications as a "complete and total farce".
The imminent fine for Apple represents another move by the EU to curb the dominance of so-called Big Tech companies. Regulations set to come into effect next month will designate Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft as "digital gatekeepers", subjecting them to stringent new competition guidelines.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gazetteer news portal”。http://panama.downmusic.org/content-43f899922.html
Related articles
Here comes the char
healthTom Holland enjoyed a post-show cup of tea and proudly waved to fans as he left the Duke of York's T ...
【health】
Read more'Don't tag this beach, b**ch!' Mallorca anti
healthMallorca's anti-tourism campaign has urged locals to not reveal the island's beauty spots on their s ...
【health】
Read moreNow Just Stop Oil sell T
healthJust Stop Oil have released a t-shirt for babies with a picture of Van Gogh's Sunflowers in a nod to ...
【health】
Read more
Popular articles
- Insider Q&A: CIA's chief technologist's cautious embrace of generative AI
- Matt Olson hits 3
- Sheriff faces questions from Arkansas lawmakers over Netflix series filmed at county jail
- Aces honored with rings, 2nd championship banner as quest to three
- Cruise worker 'murders newborn son on board ship': Shocked co
- Morocco’s automotive industry shifts gears to prep for electric vehicle era
Latest articles
Mohammad Mokhber: Who is Iran’s acting president?
Movie armorer appeals conviction in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin
Napa Valley wine family is torn apart by Succession
Movie armorer appeals conviction in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin
What a blast to work at NASA. Space agency is sky
Here are the locations that Red Lobster is closing in the US
LINKS
- Ohtani breaks Matsui's home run record, Dodgers rout Mets 10
- Woman, 18, dies after being shot at Delaware State University
- Ohtani breaks Matsui's home run record, Dodgers rout Mets 10
- Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back
- Hilary Swank reveals it would be a 'great opportunity' for a trans actor to play her Oscar
- Bremen ends Stuttgart's 11
- Sizzling Phillies finish homestand 8
- Billy Horschel goes to Dominican Republic. He returns a PGA Tour winner again
- Villa boosts push for Champions League qualification with 3
- Ohtani breaks Matsui's home run record, Dodgers rout Mets 10