Stimulus Posted February 18 Posted February 18 EU to hit Apple with first ever fine in €500mn penalty over music streaming Financial Times / Javier Espinoza / February 18, 2024 Quote Brussels is to impose its first ever fine on tech giant Apple for allegedly breaking EU law over access to its music streaming services, according to five people with direct knowledge of the long-running investigation. The fine, which is in the region of €500mn and is currently expected to be announced early next month, is the culmination of a European Commission antitrust probe into whether Apple has used its own platform to favour its services over those of competitors. The probe is investigating whether Apple blocked apps from informing iPhone users of cheaper alternatives to access music subscriptions outside the App Store. It was launched after music-streaming app Spotify made a formal complaint to regulators in 2019. The Commission will rule that Apple’s actions are illegal and go against the bloc’s rules which enforce competition in the single market, the people familiar with the case told the Financial Times. It will ban Apple’s practice of blocking music services from letting users outside its App Store to switch to cheaper alternatives. Brussels will accuse Apple of abusing its powerful position and imposing anti-competitive trading practices on rivals, the people said, adding that the EU would say the tech giant’s terms were “unfair trading conditions”. It is one of the most significant financial penalties levied by the EU on big tech companies. A series of fines against Google levied over several years and amounting to about €8bn are being contested in court. While Apple has never previously been fined for antitrust infringements by Brussels, the company was hit in 2020 with a €1.1bn fine in France for alleged anti-competitive behaviour. The penalty was revised down to €372mn after an appeal. The EU’s action against Apple will reignite the war between Brussels and Big Tech at a time when companies are being forced to show how they are complying with landmark new rules aimed at opening competition and allowing small tech rivals to thrive. Companies that are defined as gatekeepers, including Apple, Amazon and Google, need to fully comply with these rules under the Digital Markets Act by early next month.
Raptus Posted February 18 Posted February 18 (edited) Should've been 500 billions, but this will do Edited February 18 by Raptus 3
Delusional Posted February 18 Posted February 18 EU has such a hate boner for Apple lol it makes me laugh 1 1 1
Rev8 Posted February 18 Posted February 18 Deserved the fact that Spotify snitched, after they were done dirty by Apple love Karma 1 1
Nashe Posted February 18 Posted February 18 once Spotify implements the option of changing album covers, there'll be literally no reason for someone to ever use AM anymore (ok, besides Dolby atmos)
Sheep Posted February 18 Posted February 18 6 minutes ago, Nashe said: once Spotify implements the option of changing album covers, there'll be literally no reason for someone to ever use AM anymore (ok, besides Dolby atmos) Apple Music has a much bigger catalog and higher fidelity music streaming. It's the only Apple product I can't get myself off of.
Pendulum Posted February 18 Posted February 18 14 minutes ago, Nashe said: once Spotify implements the option of changing album covers, there'll be literally no reason for someone to ever use AM anymore (ok, besides Dolby atmos) and changing the tags!!!!!!! very important for the lastfm girlies
magazine Posted February 18 Posted February 18 Good Spoiler Let me get my free 3-month apple music real quick
J Legend X Posted February 18 Posted February 18 The EU trying to get the money they don't have out of an American company... 2
airplane Posted February 18 Posted February 18 2 hours ago, Nashe said: once Spotify implements the option of changing album covers, there'll be literally no reason for someone to ever use AM anymore (ok, besides Dolby atmos) The audio quality on spotify is horrendous
dawnettakins Posted February 18 Posted February 18 Apple is and always has been trash. At least the EU knows! Gays could learn a lesson or 2.
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