Apple's Fines in Dutch Antitrust Case Hit 50 Million Euros

[MacRumors]

Apple today was fined another €5 million ($5.5 million) in the Netherlands by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) as the company has failed to adequately comply with mandated alternate payment system requirements for dating apps.

The rules went into effect in January, and since then, Apple has received a €5 million fine each week. This is the 10th fine, for a total of 50 million euros. Apple has opted to allow dating apps in the Netherlands to use outside payment methods, but developers who wish to take advantage of this feature must submit a separate app binary and cannot offer third-party payment options and in-app purchases at the same time.

The ACM does not think that dating app developers should need to choose between using alternative payments or in-app payments, and has said that the apps must be able to offer both options. Apple has reduced its commission on purchases using third-party payment systems, asking for 27 percent instead of 30 percent, with developers required to submit a monthly record of sales so Apple can track its commission.

Last week, Reuters said that Apple's fines after 50 million euros could be higher, so we'll have to see how the dispute between the ACM and Apple in the Netherlands plays out. Apple on Sunday again adjusted its proposal for compliance, and the ACM says that it "should result in definitive conditions for dating-app providers that wish to use the App Store," putting an end to the fines.

The ACM plans to review Apple's new submission and will soon hand down a ruling on whether Apple is in compliance should it implement the new measures outlined in the proposal. If the ACM decides Apple's proposal is not adequate, the ACM says that Apple could be subjected to another order with "possibly higher penalties" to encourage Apple to comply.

Article Link: Apple's Fines in Dutch Antitrust Case Hit 50 Million Euros

 

[contacos]

Isn’t the EU going to make this mandatory for any „Gatekeeper“ soon anyway?

 

[HiVolt]

Now the fines need to increase to 50 Million euro per week. I'm sure someone at Apple will perk up.

 

[Wildkraut]

Isn’t the EU going to make this mandatory for any „Gatekeeper“ soon anyway?

Yeah, but EUs DMA/DSA will come later end 22 to mid 23. Apple will face multiple fines of many countries till they bend over, even in the U.S.

 

[icanhazmac]

So sick of this crap, want alt-stores and alt-payments go buy Android. I am not looking forward to the future experience that idiots are looking to legislate into existence.

 

[ouimetnick]

Apple can either “comply with all laws in countries that we operate” (Tim Cook’s words) or they can pay the price. They have no problem following all laws and regulations in authoritarian countries like China for some reason. 😉

 

[MysticCow]

Apple can either “comply with all laws in countries that we operate” (Tim Cook’s words) or they can pay the price. They have no problem following all laws and regulations in authoritarian countries like China for some reason. ?

Because there's a difference between getting a fine (EU) and getting murdered by the state (China)?

 

[erikkfi]

I just had an original thought about this that I’d like to share:

This is pocket change for Apple!

 

[Wildkraut]

Apples behavior here will serve as a precedent case to justify the introduction of DMA/DSA even more.

 

[IamTimCook]

Jaywalking Association: Here is a 10 cent fine for Jaywalking.
Citizen: Cool, I'll be sure to get around to paying that. /s
Letter in the mail: Your fine has increased to 50 cents on count of missing payment deadlines.
Citizen: Cool! - Throws letter in thrash.
Letter in the mail: You are requested in court (a real court to argue merits against national laws) to discuss your Jaywalking charge. If found guilty you may be required to pay full fine of 50 cents.
Citizen: Sweet now we can get down to business.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Easy solution: comply. Let this ONE country be a very public guinea pig. Either:

• Nearly all iPhones in this country will be destroyed by everyone taking advantage of the new option OR
• Some iPhones in this country will be destroyed by some taking advantage of the new option OR
• Nearly nothing will happen and all of the spin about the certain cataclysm that will follow such an option will be seen for what it likely is: far, far overblown.

We ALL have Macs running almost the same OS. Those Macs can buy/install Apps from an iOS-like store completely controlled by Apple or Apps direct from third parties. Are all Macs completely destroyed by us all having that kind of store flexibility already?

How does Apple address this situation on Macs? They pop up a warning about installing apps from unknown sources. Then it's on the Mac owner to proceed or not proceed. If they proceed and the owner is actually installing every computer virus ever created, that's clearly on the owner. Apple could send a "we warned them" notice to itself so that when this person is calling Apple for help, Apple customer service will know that software was installed from questionable sources.

Has the flexibility to purchase Mac Apps from wherever brought all Macs to their knees? Not at all. Have some Macs been compromised by that flexibility? Yes. iOS devices will likely be the same. Most will probably continue to get apps as they do now. Those concerned about safety will continue to get their apps from what they believe is the safest source. Some of those less concerned or too dumb or naive may- in fact- compromise their iDevices.

Here's a chance to show the world how "terrible" it would actually be for a finite group of people to facilitate competition... just like all of us already have with our Macs. If it actually is a disaster, a slice of one relatively small group of people will suffer the consequences, learn from their mistake and not make it again. On the other hand, if iOS goes as macOS is already, the flexibility to purchase from more than one source will likely deliver better prices and more money actually reaching the developers instead of a company already richer than any other.

Before it's forced on Apple by many countries, here's an easy opportunity to prove the disaster... or reveal the hype is false. If disaster, other countries wanting the same may pull back and preserve the "as is." A very simple test will clearly prove it if it will be as spun.

 

[Starscape]

Fear not for Apple, they’ll just have their customers foot the bill when they raise prices again on iPhones.

 

[IamTimCook]

Easy solution: comply. Let this ONE country be a very public guinea pig. Either:

• Nearly all iPhones in this country will be destroyed by everyone taking advantage of the new option OR
• Some iPhones in this country will be destroyed by some taking advantage of the new option OR
• Nearly nothing will happen and all of the spin about the certain cataclysm that will follow such an option will be seen for what it likely is: far, far overblown.

We ALL have Macs running almost the same OS. Those Macs can buy/install Apps from an iOS-like store completely controlled by Apple or Apps direct from third parties. Are all Macs completely destroyed by us all having that kind of store flexibility already?

How does Apple address this situation on Macs? They pop up a warning about installing apps from unknown sources. Then it's on the Mac owner to proceed or not proceed. If they proceed and the owner is actually installing every computer virus ever created, that's clearly on the owner. Apple could send a "we warned them" notice to itself so that when this person is calling Apple for help, Apple customer service will know that software was installed from questionable sources.

Has the flexibility to purchase Mac Apps from wherever brought all Macs to their knees? Not at all. Have some Macs been compromised by that flexibility? Yes. iOS devices will likely be the same. Most will probably continue to get apps as they do now. Those concerned about safety will continue to get their apps from what they believe is the safest source. Some of those less concerned or too dumb or naive may- in fact- compromise their iDevices.

Here's a chance to show the world how "terrible" it would actually be for a finite group of people to facilitate competition... just like all of us already have with our Macs. If it actually is a disaster, a slice of one relatively small group of people will suffer the consequences, learn from their mistake and not make it again. On the other hand, if iOS goes as macOS is already, the flexibility to purchase from more than one source will likely deliver better prices and more money actually reaching the developers instead of a company already richer than any other.

Before it's forced on Apple by many countries, here's an easy opportunity to prove the disaster... or reveal the hype is false. If disaster, other countries wanting the same may pull back and preserve the "as is." A very simple test will clearly prove it if it will be as spun.

Only problem is there are Mac apps that aren't available through the Mac store that I need for work.

I have to have those apps for my livelihood, end of story. And I can guarantee that the developers of those apps want my money.

So it would be nice if developers were Forced (cause we know most developers aren't changing unless forced to) to use the APP store and it's guidelines to make sure I'm getting a secure as possible APP.

 

[macfacts]

So sick of this crap, want alt-stores and alt-payments go buy Android. I am not looking forward to the future experience that idiots are looking to legislate into existence.

Apple is free to start their own country.

 

[_Spinn_]

Ok. Should be interesting to see what the next step is.

 

[macsound1]

So sick of this crap, want alt-stores and alt-payments go buy Android. I am not looking forward to the future experience that idiots are looking to legislate into existence.

I agree.
My parents already download scammy apps from the app store that don't actually cause any harm or cost them anything, they just have annoying ads.
I can't imagine how bad it'll be if 3rd party app stores are allowed.

 

[ouimetnick]

Because there's a difference between getting a fine (EU) and getting murdered by the state (China)?

So the EU should threaten to kill Apple’s employees for Timmy boy to comply? ?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Only problem is there are Mac apps that aren't available through the Mac store that I need for work.

I have to have those apps for my livelihood, end of story. And I can guarantee that the developers of those apps want my money.

So it would be nice if developers were Forced (cause we know most developers aren't changing unless forced to) to use the APP store and it's guidelines to make sure I'm getting a secure as possible APP.

While I can grasp your thinking, I would not want Mac developers forced to sell through only a single source at all. Pinching competition down to 1 source is almost always bad for consumers. Yes, there could very well be a net security positive but it would bring a lot of negatives.

As is, we can buy through the Mac store and only the Mac store if we like. Or we can buy third party... or get some apps in 1X-app bundles for $10, etc. We can KNOW we are taking added risk from NOT buying only from Apple but it's up to us as owners of our computers to decide to take that risk or not. If we do and we make a huge mistake, that's not Apple's fault- they even WARN us when we want to install something from outside sources.

But again, we don't even need to debate this. Here's a perfect opportunity for Apple to PROVE the disaster of making the iOS store more like the macOS store, focused on only a single country... who through monthly fines have "forced Apple into the action" (so that if it IS a disaster Apple can both claim "I told you so" AND "you forced this upon yourselves... the only option now is to destroy those infected iDevices and buy brand new ones. Cha-chinnnnnng!").

It would show everyone else in the world the absolute devastation and misery caused by doing this- just as we Mac users all suffer utter cataclysms by having this purchasing flexibility now- and thus make everyone else back off of similar demands. Think of if as a consumer beta test, isolated to a single group that may turn out to be a good thing, no thing or a potential extinction event. It's so, soooooo nice of Apple to try to protect the Dutch from the ramifications of this terrible want... but sometimes you simply have to let the baby touch a hot stove to learn about getting burned.

Hard proof in a smallish test like that would be much more valuable to the cause than the easy perception of "protect our cash cow" spin. Best of all, a test like that would have NO effect at all on the entire rest of the world even if it manages to sink the whole country like Atlantis... or summon fire & brimstone... or locusts... or the 4 horsemen.

 

[SoldOnApple]

One of the things I like about iPhone is not getting spam messages or calls from infected iPhones. On the other hand I would really love to get a fully featured game emulator that takes full advantage of the processing power of my iPad and iPhone.

 

[kalsta]

Well it sounds to me like the Netherlands government has found themselves a nice little revenue stream. I bet behind closed doors they call it the ‘Apple tax’.

 

[ackmondual]

Now the fines need to increase to 50 Million euro per week. I'm sure someone at Apple will perk up.

Pretty much against any company. If it's just a one time fee, it's akin to a slap on the wrist given how much money these companies have. If it's not high enough, it's easier to just pay the fine

 

[antiprotest]

Apple should fine them back and see who caves.

 

[gnipgnop]

The weird thing about this situation is that the non-compliance part was focused on binaries, not on 3rd party payment options. I don't remember Tinder, Spotify, Epic, Microsoft or any other big dollar developer complaining about binaries, yet that's what has caused the continuing fines. Apple complied with the 3rd party payment aspect a long time ago.

 

[sw1tcher]

So sick of this crap, want alt-stores and alt-payments go buy Android. I am not looking forward to the future experience that idiots are looking to legislate into existence.

Another one of those having options is somehow bad arguments.

So sick of this crap. Want alt-stores and alt-payments? Fine. I have no problem with that as long as using them is an option and not a requirement. I look forward to the future where iOS users have options like macOS users.

 

[@Brett]

You would figure the Netherlands would have more to worry about at the moment. With I don’t know the war on their doorstep. But they keep coming up with ways to get money by fining companies. Why dating apps only? I mean Apple created the store why should companies get to bypass that? Simple solution people could go out and meet each other for free instead of paying for an app.