Apple has announced its plans to appeal the historic €1.84 billion fine imposed by the European Commission over alleged anticompetitive practices in the streaming music market. The tech giant’s decision comes after the EC’s ruling in favor of Spotify, a prominent player in the music streaming industry.
Key Takeaway
Apple intends to challenge the European Commission’s ruling, citing a misalignment between the decision and the factual circumstances. The dispute underscores the ongoing tensions between tech giants and app developers over platform regulations and market dominance.
Apple’s Response
In a newsroom post, Apple emphasized Spotify’s significant market share in Europe, highlighting the streaming platform’s 56% dominance in the region. The company also reiterated its stance on Spotify’s complaint, stating that the streaming service aims to access Apple’s tools without adhering to the necessary guidelines.
Details Revealed
Apple further disclosed non-public information about Spotify’s utilization of its platforms, including accessing numerous APIs, app testing through Testflight, and app submissions for review. The tech giant underscored the extensive reach of Spotify’s app across Apple devices, emphasizing the scale of the European digital music market.
App Store Commissions
Addressing Spotify’s allegations regarding App Store commissions, Apple clarified that Spotify exclusively sells its subscriptions on its own website, thus bypassing any fees to Apple. The dispute revolves around Spotify’s desire to communicate subscription details and promotions within its iOS app, a practice restricted by Apple’s anti-steering rules.
