Apple will face a European Union fine of nearly €500 million ($539 million or roughly Rs 4,475 crore) over the regulator’s probe into allegations it silenced music streaming rivals including Spotify Technology SA on its platforms.
The penalty — Apple’s first ever from the bloc — will be imposed after the EU watchdog found it violated competition rules by thwarting rival music services from informing users that there were cheaper alternatives outside its App Store, according to people familiar with the matter. matters. .
Apple, when contacted for comment, referred to a previous statement that said “the App Store has helped Spotify become the best music streaming service in Europe”.
EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager has made a core strategy of trying to remove Big Tech’s dominance in the bloc through fines and regulatory measures.
The EU’s investigation into the App Store was prompted by a complaint from Spotify nearly four years ago, which claimed it was forced to raise the price of its monthly subscriptions to cover the costs associated with the App Store’s alleged stranglehold on how the App Store works.
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In a closed-door meeting between EU officials and Apple in June last year, the tech firm told regulators it had already addressed potential competition concerns arising from Spotify’s complaint.
In a separate investigation, Apple is to accept its settlement offer as part of an EU investigation into its tap-and-pay technology, according to people familiar with the matter.
