EU Slaps Apple with €1.8bn Fine for Violating Streaming Regulations

Apple has been fined €1.8 billion by the EU for violating competition laws. The penalty was imposed for restricting Spotify and other music streaming services from informing users about payment options outside the Apple app store. The European Commission’s decision came after a complaint from Spotify regarding this restriction and Apple’s 30% fee. The EU competition enforcer stated that Apple had abused its dominant market position for a decade by preventing developers from promoting alternative, cheaper music services outside the Apple ecosystem. Apple has been ordered to remove these restrictions and refrain from similar practices in the future. The tech giant plans to appeal the decision, claiming there is no evidence of harm to consumers. Spotify, the primary advocate for the decision, has met with the European Commission over 65 times during the investigation. Apple also noted that Spotify pays no commission as it sells subscriptions on its website, not through the app store.