European Authorities Accuse Apple of Violating Recent Regulations

The European Commission has accused Apple of stifling competition through its App Store. According to European regulators, Apple is violating new tech regulations outlined in the Digital Markets Act by preventing app developers from directing customers to alternative app stores. The rules require developers to be able to inform customers of less expensive options and guide them towards different offers.

The Commission alleges that Apple’s business terms restrict developers from communicating with customers within the app. According to Margrethe Vestager, an executive vice president of the European Commission, Apple does not fully allow developers to steer customers. Steering is essential to ensuring that developers are not reliant on gatekeepers like app stores, and to inform consumers about better deals.

The European regulators have opened a new investigation into Apple’s contracts with third-party app developers and app stores. Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment. However, a company spokesperson stated that Apple believes their plan complies with the law. They estimated that over 99% of developers would pay the same or less in fees to Apple under the new terms created.

In March, the European Commission fined Apple 1.8 billion euros for allegedly abusing its market dominance. Apple was accused of blocking app developers from informing users about other music services. Apple stated that it would appeal the decision, arguing that there was no credible evidence of consumer harm and that the ruling ignored the competitive nature of the market.