Apple's challenges with regulators in the EU continue as the firm is now potentially on the hook for a 500 million euro or roughly $539 million fine. Regulators have imposed this penalty following a complaint from Spotify alleging that Apple has policies in place that don't allow iPhone apps from telling users that there are cheaper music streaming services than Apple Music.
Spotify is one of the world's leading music streaming services and a direct competitor to Apple Music. The iPhone maker would obviously want people to stay within the ecosystem and Spotify's complaints is that Apple actively prevents apps from informing users about cheaper alternatives.
Apple has to pay over half a billion dollars in the EU
Spotify had filed a complaint against Apple in the EU back in 2019 that its policies prevented competition against Apple Music. The EU launched an investigation the following year and focused on Apple not allowing developers to send users to their own subscription sign-up pages from within their own apps. Apple changed this policy in 2022 after pressure from Japanese regulators.
The Financial Times is now reporting that a 500 million euro or $539 million fine has been imposed on Apple by EU regulators, with the European Commission reportedly set to announce the ruling publicly early next month. The report further mentions that the Commission will argue that Apple was in violation of EU antitrust law and that it fostered “unfair trading conditions” for competitors in the App Store.
Apple hasn't officially commented on this report and there hasn't been a comment from the European Commission as well. It's unlikely that we may hear something officially on the matter until next month.
