Apple Facing 'Modest' Fine for Violating EU's Digital Markets Act

[MacRumors]

The European Union plans to levy a "modest" fine against Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), reports Reuters.

Last year, the European Commission decided that Apple has not complied with the anti-steering rules outlined in the DMA, and that it has not done enough to allow developers to inform customers about lower prices available outside of the App Store.

Back in June, then European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said that Apple was facing a "number" of "very serious" issues with its DMA compliance in Europe, and she said that Apple's DMA changes were "not what was expected of such a company."

Apple tweaked its App Store rules in Europe last year in order to comply with the DMA, introducing support for app marketplaces and app distribution outside of the App Store, along with changes to its fee structures. Apple has been updating its rules after receiving feedback from the European Commission, and it specifically updated its external linking rules last August after it became clear the EU was not happy with its anti-steering policies.

The rapid fire changes that Apple implemented can be confusing, so app developers who distribute apps in the EU can keep up with the EU rules site on Apple's developer website.

While the Digital Markets Act gives regulators the ability to fine companies up to 10 percent of their global annual sales, sources that spoke to Reuters said the European Commission is aiming to ensure that companies comply with the law rather than sanctioning them with large fines.

U.S. President Donald Trump has also claimed that he will impose tariffs on countries that fine U.S. companies like Apple, plus there has been a change in the European Commission's leadership, so Apple may not be facing the same monetary punishment that it would have received last year.

The EU has not yet decided on the size of the fine, so the situation could change, but Reuters says a decision is expected this month.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Facing 'Modest' Fine for Violating EU's Digital Markets Act

 

[jz0309]

The fine will end up being $1 - watch it
aka Trump effect

 

[surferfb]

In a compliance report published last week, Meta said that despite its concerted efforts to comply with EU regulation, it has continued to receive demands from regulators that go beyond what is written in the law.

Impressive work by the EU to get me to agree wholeheartedly with Meta. Well done.

Apple's DMA compliance report dated March 7 reiterated its argument that changes imposed by the law bring greater risks to users and developers, including new avenues for malware, fraud and scams.

Absolutely true, but the EU doesn’t care about any of that. Apple must be taken down a peg, no matter the harm done to EU citizens.

 

[F23]

the EU is annoying & irrelevant. Apple built the App Store and it was successful, why should it be helping other marketplaces? go to hell EU

 

[Shirasaki]

the EU is annoying & irrelevant. Apple built the App Store and it was successful, why should it be helping other marketplaces? go to hell EU

Great. Put some effort to lobby Apple to quit EU market. Don’t just talk the talk. Walk the walk.

 

[Shirasaki]

Modest fine, so cost of doing business. This won’t change anything in any material particular and Apple still has the option to quit the EU market entirely. Already there are a couple folks advocating for such to happen. Besides, EU has already been tariffed by Donald Trump, so bruh, unless he wants to tariff EU more.

Patiently sitting here waiting for the moment Apple announce the exit of EU market entirely. Those 2000 some Apple fans may finally rejoice when it happens. /s

 

[turbineseaplane]

There really isn't any actual news here, as no fine amount has yet been decided upon

I will now get out of the way of the usual "Go EU" vs "Hate EU!" dueling that is sure to ensue

 

[McWetty]

So that’s what Tim’s $1M donation to Trump buys? Protection?

 

[racerhomie]

I hope these things get sorted out. I personally want Pornography apps globally on iOS, with native iOS features. Europe is getting some of that. I also like the recent changes to the App Store that allow for Emulators. I am using Delta, to relive my childhood gameboy games. I believe Europe also influenced some of these decisions

 

[turbineseaplane]

I hope these things get sorted out. I personally want Pornography apps globally on iOS, with native iOS features. Europe is getting some of that. I also like the recent changes to the App Store that allow for Emulators. I am using Delta, to relive my childhood gameboy games. I believe Europe also influenced some of these decisions

I personally love this sort of clear and direct honesty in a post
No beating around the bush

No hedging with talk of "platform freedom" or other peripheral concerns or other means to justify the ends
Straight to "I want porn apps with native iOS features"

Bravo 👏

 

[anthogag]

EU should fine Apple whatever they want, who cares about Donald and his tariff stick. Donald is another Putin. He will most likely ruin US international business market shares as retaliatory tariffs take effect.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

The EU will get what they want ONLY when they have the will to restrict the sale of new phones in the region until their demands are met. The EU will never do that, though, because their mobile computing future DEPENDS on the iPhone and other non-EU inventions/services.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Apple should never release any new products or updates in the EU.

 

[m4mario]

Asking Apple to give access to developer APIs for free is extorting of American proprietary tech. However modest the fine, it’s still harassment.

US should modestly fine EU for modestly stealing US tech.

 

[Shirasaki]

Asking Apple to give access to developer APIs for free is theft of American proprietary tech. However modest the fine, it’s still harassment.

US should modestly fine EU for modestly stealing US tech.

Close US uni access to EU citizens. Why let OUR uni teaches EU citizens who will surely steal techs and advancements WE made. Even better, ban EU citizens from entering US, legally.
I urge EU to do the same to US citizens so their knowledge can’t be stolen by US citizens.

 

[m4mario]

Close US uni access to EU citizens. Why let OUR uni teaches EU citizens who will surely steal techs and advancements WE made. Even better, ban EU citizens from entering US, legally.
I urge EU to do the same to US citizens so their knowledge can’t be stolen by US citizens.

All the sarcasm in one world won’t substitute for the fact that developers APIs are made by Apple and it has the right to monetise it. Saying developers should be able to use it for free is extortion.

 

[mevans7]

Raise the price of the iPhone 30% in the EU and make the App Store free.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Raise the price of the iPhone 30% in the EU and make the App Store free.

Maybe 75-100%

 

[macfacts]

The EU will get what they want ONLY when they have the will to restrict the sale of new phones in the region until their demands are met. The EU will never do that, though, because their mobile computing future DEPENDS on the iPhone and other non-EU inventions/services.

People in the EU know there are other smartphones besides iPhone.

 

[amartinez1660]

Close US uni access to EU citizens. Why let OUR uni teaches EU citizens who will surely steal techs and advancements WE made. Even better, ban EU citizens from entering US, legally.
I urge EU to do the same to US citizens so their knowledge can’t be stolen by US citizens.

When people go to EU universities from anywhere around the world do they go for free? 😮
That’s great, knowledge itself should be vast and accessible worldwide.

 

[justperry]

the EU is annoying & irrelevant. Apple built the App Store and it was successful, why should it be helping other marketplaces? go to hell EU

The EU is not the USA therefor it can not enforce its laws on the EU.
Why do some of you don’t get this.
If I am honest the EU should ban or split Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple and 100% ban Tesla.
Also tell (Orange Musolini)Trump that he will be a person non grata because he is a complete and utter idiot.

 

[Naraxus]

The EU can burn. They have done nothing good for anyone when it comes to tech except perhaps to invent fines on American companies innovating & being successful, rather than on EU companies who hold actual monopolies (Spotify) and couldn't compete or innovate if their lives depended on it.

 

[Naraxus]

I hope these things get sorted out. I personally want Pornography apps globally on iOS, with native iOS features. Europe is getting some of that. I also like the recent changes to the App Store that allow for Emulators. I am using Delta, to relive my childhood gameboy games. I believe Europe also influenced some of these decisions

If you want porn, just use safari on your phone. Keep that filth out of App Stores.

 

[macfacts]

If you want porn, just use safari on your phone. Keep that filth out of App Stores.

If apple wants to sell iPhones, they have all of USA. ...

 

[Zarniwoop]

EU should fine Apple whatever they want, who cares about Donald and his tariff stick. Donald is another Putin. He will most likely ruin US international business market shares as retaliatory tariffs take effect.

EU, Canada and Mexico could together add +25 % tariffs on Apple products. NASDAQ would crash another 10%, Apple 20%. Over 30% of their market share would be on stake. Peoples pensions funds and banks would collapse. If China would same time start to sell their USD Bonds, the interest rates could double. Assests prices would plummet, middle class would lose their houses, jobs, health care.

And still people would praise their orange messiah, while life in Europe would continue as usual. Life without Apple wouldn’t be that big issue. It’s not a life’s necessitie. If you still need it, just pay more.

USA doesn’t understand their big surplus on service sales to Europe. If they want to harm theirshelves, just keep on tariffing. They are already about to lose hundreds of billions of weapons sales to Europe, because the USA has made themselves an untrusted partner.