Apple will challenge a €1.8 billion fine imposed by EU authorities for preventing fair competition from other music streaming players, including Spotify. The tech giant has filed a lawsuit with the European Court in Luxembourg with the intention of overturning the decision made by the European Commission in March. According to Bloomberg, which cites its own sources, the European Commission also ordered Apple to lift its ban on music streaming apps informing users about better payment methods outside the App Store.
The Investigation and Its Origins
The investigation began five years ago after a complaint by Sweden’s Spotify, which claimed it was forced to increase the cost of monthly subscriptions to cover the costs associated with Apple’s App Store fees. In response, the European Commission declared that it is prepared to defend its decisions in court. While Apple declined to comment further, it referred to a previous publication stating that European regulators failed to provide credible evidence of harm to consumers, notes NIX Solutions.
EU’s Stance on Tech Giants
European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager has launched a campaign to limit the dominance of American tech giants by subjecting them to fines and other government regulations. Recently, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force in the EU, prompting Apple to reconsider how iOS, Safari, and the App Store operate. We’ll keep you updated as the situation evolves.