Apple faces a new antitrust accusation from the European Union (EU), following a complaint triggered by Spotify, which has given way to an investigation; according to a person familiar with the matter, quoted by the Reuters Agency, EU authorities are strengthening the case against the US company.
The European Commission last year accused the manufacturer of the iPhone of distorting competition in the streaming music market through restrictive rules for its App Storewhich force developers to use their own in-app payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchase options.
According to the new EU technological rules agreed in April 2022, framed in the Digital Markets Act (DMA), these practices are illegal. However, Reuters maintains, Apple and other US tech giants to whom the rules apply will have a couple of years before they crack down.
“The DMA still has two years to go. The rules will apply to Apple probably in early 2024. That’s why antitrust cases remain important,” says attorney Damien Geradin of Geradin Partners, who is advising several app developers on other cases against Apple.
In addition to research on music streaming, Apple’s e-book practices and its Apple Pay are also in the EU’s sights.
As context, companies that break EU antitrust rules face fines of up to 10% of your worldwide turnover and orders to abandon anti-competitive practices.
Ultimately, the European Commission and Apple declined to comment.
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