Apple is reportedly facing a fine of approximately €500 million (equivalent to around $539 million USD) in the EU for allegedly impeding competition against its Apple Music service on the iPhone. The fine stems from an investigation by regulators in Brussels, Belgium, prompted by a complaint from Spotify.
According to the complaint, Apple had prevented apps from informing users about cheaper alternatives to Apple Music, which Spotify argued limited competition. The focus of the issue lies in Apple’s control over its App Store payment system. Critics argue that this control restricts competition.
Spotify lodged its complaint in 2019, leading to an EU investigation the following year. The EU’s objections were narrowed down to Apple’s policy of prohibiting developers from linking to their own subscription sign-ups within their apps. However, Apple amended this policy in 2022 under pressure from regulators in Japan.
While the €500 million fine may seem substantial, it is significantly lower than the initially proposed penalty of nearly $40 billion, which equates to 10 percent of Apple’s annual global turnover. In 2020, Apple was fined over a billion dollars, but after appealing, French authorities reduced the fine to approximately $366 million.
Apple’s representative, Emma Wilson, declined to comment on the speculation, referring to previous statements made by another Apple spokesperson, Hannah Smith. Smith had expressed hope in February of the previous year that the Commission would cease pursuing the case, arguing that it “has no merit.” European Commission spokesperson Lea Zuber also declined to comment on the matter.
