European Union fines Apple $2 billion for anti-trust violations after complaint from Spotify

The European Union has fined Apple 1.84 billion euros for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the market for music streaming app distribution via its App Store. The investigation found that Apple restricts developers from informing iOS users about cheaper alternative services outside the app.

The EU’s investigation was triggered by a complaint from Spotify in 2020 regarding the “Apple Tax”. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager stated, “For a decade, Apple abused its dominant position.”

The Commission has ordered Apple to remove anti-steering provisions and refrain from repeating the infringement in the future. Apple’s conduct over the past 10 years has led to higher prices for music streaming subscriptions for iOS users.

Affected individuals or companies can seek damages in court for anti-competitive behavior, according to the Commission. Apple has yet to respond to the fine and rulings imposed by the European Union.