Apple Has 'Very Serious' DMA Issues, EU to Enforce Rules 'Soon'

[MacRumors]

Apple is facing a "number" of "very serious" issues with its Digital Markets Act compliance in Europe, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in an interview with CNBC.

The European Commission opened an investigation into Apple in March to determine if Apple's EU app marketplace changes were complying with DMA regulations. The DMA requires Apple to provide developers with an option to distribute apps outside of the App Store and without App Store's fees. Apple implemented support for app marketplaces with iOS 17.4, but it charges an 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for each download after the initial 1 million annual installs.

Vestager does not believe that Apple's changes meet the requirements of the DMA. "We have a number of Apple issues; I find them very serious," she said. "I was very surprised that we would have such suspicions of Apple being non-compliant."

She went on to say that this implementation "is not what was expected of such a company" and that the DMA rules will be enforced "exactly with the same top priority as with any other business."

The European Commission plans to reveal the conclusions of its probe "hopefully soon," and if Apple is found to be violating the terms of the DMA, the European Union could levy significant fines up to five percent of its average daily worldwide revenue (upwards of $1 billion).

Last week, Financial Times said that the European Commission is planning to charge Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act. The EC believes that Apple is not complying with its obligation to allow developers to "steer" users outside of the App Store without fees.

Apple does still have time to make changes to iOS before charges are announced by regulators, and the EC is expected to make an announcement in the "coming weeks."

Article Link: Apple Has 'Very Serious' DMA Issues, EU to Enforce Rules 'Soon'

 

[breenmask]

EU is super cereal! like totally cereal!!!

 

[Maclver]

I personally don’t plan on side loading apps. But at what point is Apple just going to have to open up iOS to be like macOS where I can download any app I wanted from any source without Apple involvement.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Apple needs to leave the EU

 

[sputnikv]

the eu regulates tech as much as it does because its own sector can’t compete with anything coming out of the states, japan, s.korea and china

 

[GrayFlannel]

Apple is ironing out a few details but it looks that the European Commission is about to accept the tap-and-go settlement.

 

[acgmph]

“See you in court” is what Apple will say.

 

[NMBob]

The only responsible thing to do in that they are mortally damaging everyone is to suspend all sales and services in the EU until the lawyer stuff is finished.

 

[WolfSnap]

Maybe Apple should just pull out of the EU. Just a thought.

 

[jz0309]

This is very bizarre to make a statement like this on the news. Have they informed Apple first and Apple gave them the finger?

 

[JapanApple]

In all this mess Apple share prices have increased presently

 

[red elma]

EU is the 'Rebel Alliance' of Europe way before they realized that there is such thing as the tyrannical 'Galactic Empire' lurking in the dark.

 

[CatalinApple]

I think long term Europe might be less attractive to foreign companies. Time will tell how this might play in Europe's advantage or disadvantage.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Enough with the EU doing endless attacks on North American countries. It's time to ban all wine from France and Italy. Lol. Ok, seriously. It would really hurt both sides since American wine is borderline at best.

 

[garranhado]

US creates
China copy
EU tax, tax, tax

 

[mystery hill]

Apple needs to leave the EU

and Japan, India, and the US?

 

[6787872]

are EU regulators as easy to bribe as their US counterparts? surprised apple hasn't tried it.

 

[Algr]

the eu regulates tech as much as it does because its own sector can’t compete with anything coming out of the states, japan, s.korea and china

And since those industries aren't there, they don't control the governments like they do in the US, Japan, ect...

 

[garranhado]

As an European, EU is a bureaucratic and corrupt organization.

 

[Hewhowalksbehindtherows]

Help me understand this. The DMA mandates that Apple must open up an alternate App Store on Apple's devices. Additionally, Apple may not make any money from the alternate App Store because of its gatekeeper status. If this is so, who maintains the alternate App Store? Who maintains its security? What are its costs? What are the costs to Apple? Can trojan apps in the alternate App Store integrate and infect the Apple ecosystem?

 

[JapanApple]

China is getting charged for their EV products 48% tariffs. EU is pissing off the world with their hate of the world besides what's within EU limits.

 

[GMShadow]

The DMA is essentially the EU personified - Calvinball writ large, where the rules can be changed on a whim to meet the desired goal, generally punishing the successful and robbing them while claiming it is all to help 'the little people'. Everyone involved in crafting it is little more than a looter.

 

[Hewhowalksbehindtherows]

As an European, EU is a bureaucratic and corrupt organization.

I am sorry to hear this. The U.S. government isn't any different.

 

[UliBaer]

That's the right answer to Apple's childish behavior...

 

[jvchappy]

The EU wants anyone to be able to profit from Apple's APIs and Swift innovations for free. That is simply nuts