European Commission levies record 1.84-billion-euro fine on Apple 

European institution deems firm guilty of anticompetitive practices on music streaming apps.

On March 4, 2024, the European Commission handed down a record fine of 1.84 billion euros to Apple, for anticompetitive practices on iOS, following a suit filed by Spotify in 2019. “For a decade, Apple abused its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps through the App Store,” explained Margrethe Vestager, Vice-President of Competition for the European Commission.

More precisely, Brussels accuses Apple of “restricting developers from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services available outside of the Apple ecosystem.” In doing so, the company encouraged users to keep a subscription plan with the iOS app, on which Apple took a 30% commission.

European authorities deemed the measures “neither necessary nor proportionate.” There was little doubt about Apple’s conviction, and analysts estimated the fine would be around 500 million euros. The Commission upped it to 1.84 billion, in order to make it “deterring enough” for Apple and to “deter other companies with similar size and resources from committing the same kind of offense.”

The Cupertino-based company has signaled its intent to appeal. “The decision was reached despite the Commission’s failure to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm, and ignores the realities of a market that is thriving, competitive, and growing fast,” states Apple in its press release.