Current location:travel >>
EU set to fine Apple $540 mln for unfair play
travel2642People 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.“Earthly Echoes news portal”。http://bosniaandherzegovina.bankruptcyintn.com/content-43a599922.html
Related articles
US overdose deaths dropped in 2023, the first time since 2018
travelNEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease ...
【travel】
Read moreBooklet Containing Xi's APEC Speeches Published
travelContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
【travel】
Read moreSchool bullies will lose chances for better education
travelAn undated photo shows a public procurator educates primary school students on the harmfulness of bu ...
【travel】
Read more
Popular articles
- College baseball notebook: Conference tournaments to decide NCAA automatic bids and many at
- Xi Holds Talks with Mongolian President
- Xi Calls for Solidarity to Build Asia
- Xi Attends Welcoming Ceremony Held by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince
- Jessica Biel CHOPS her long locks into a bob after book signing in Studio City
- Xi, Prayut Agree on Building China
Latest articles
Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia
NEV makers encouraged to speed up overseas development
Xi Says Ready to Strengthen China
School bullies will lose chances for better education
Iran helicopter crash that killed President Raisi could reverberate across the Middle East
Xi Orders All
LINKS
- 8th Happy Ice and Snow Season kicks off in Beijing World Park
- Impeachment articles against Mayorkas to be sent to Senate
- Atletico oust Inter on penalties to reach UCL quarters
- Teixeira brace sees Shanghai go top in CSL
- Impeachment articles against Mayorkas to be sent to Senate
- China unveil 31
- Voters to decide primary runoffs in Alabama's new 2nd Congressional District
- Harbin extravaganza boosts China's ice
- Chinese athletes preparing for 2026 Winter Olympics
- Bodies of 3