Monday, February 19th 2024

Apple Hit with €500 Million EU Fine Over Anti-competitive Music Streaming Business Practices

Apple has just been hit with a massive €500 million fine by the European Union over a complaint filed by Spotify over anti-competitive practices. The crux of the complaint is that while Spotify subscriptions purchased on its website are competitive to those of Apple Music, subscriptions purchased on Apple devices via the App Store incur a 30% commission to Apple, which would result in Spotify having to increase its subscription prices, making Spotify lose competitiveness to Apple Music, which comes pre-installed on iOS devices, is deeply integrated with the operating system, and costs less. The Spotify complaint was filed with the European Commission way back in 2019, with the ruling coming out just now. Apple is already facing the EU's heat over barriers to App Store alternatives in the Epic Games case. The company is implementing several platform-level changes with the upcoming iOS 17.4 update scheduled for March 2024, as well as changes to its terms of service. Hopefully Spotify gets its due.
Source: Notebookcheck.net
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13 Comments on Apple Hit with €500 Million EU Fine Over Anti-competitive Music Streaming Business Practices

#1
R0H1T
Good, hopefully EU force them to allow 3p app stores/sideloading as is the case with Android.
Posted on Reply
#2
Onasi
Good. Apple needs to eat crow here and there. They are ridiculous sometimes. Last time they whined and presented absolutely nonsensical arguments when all that was required of them is to switch to a connector that literally everyone else already adopted. They are like children, seriously.
Posted on Reply
#3
freeagent
That number is big enough to sting for a day or two :D
Posted on Reply
#4
Vayra86
'Apple won the case against Epic'.

Did they now? :rolleyes: :rockout: :peace:
Cat's out of the bag.
Posted on Reply
#5
de.das.dude
Pro Indian Modder
a drop in the bucket :)

a slap on the wrist.

like peeing into the ocean.
Posted on Reply
#6
mechtech
de.das.dudea drop in the bucket :)

a slap on the wrist.

like peeing into the ocean.
like a parking ticket
Posted on Reply
#7
R0H1T
Maybe they should revoke their driving license then?
Posted on Reply
#8
Jism
Weird. You host a full blown and closed source based eco-system, because you believe privacy, safe software should be number one priority. One of the key reasons why so many people opt for Apple. Then you provide free offering, hosting and a maintaince program through the app store. You charge 30% - something all dev's have agreed to once signing up.

And now 30% is too much and Apple is fined for this?
Posted on Reply
#10
Jism
You give one example of at least 12 years here in use lol.
Posted on Reply
#13
trsttte
DeathtoGnomesseems the price just went up to $2 billion

www.cnbc.com/2024/03/04/apple-hit-with-more-than-1point95-billion-eu-antitrust-fine-over-music-streaming.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard
Apple made close to 100$ Billion net income last year, 2 billion starts to sting but it's still pretty much a drop in the bucket, not to mention they probably get to appeal the decision and drag this out for a couple years, the fine will pay itself on interest alone even before getting cut in less than half as it usually happens :(
Posted on Reply
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