London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 19, 2025

EU accuses Apple of breaking antitrust law over music streaming

EU accuses Apple of breaking antitrust law over music streaming

European regulators have accused Apple (AAPL) of violating EU antitrust law, saying the company's app store rules unfairly restrict rival music services.
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's top antitrust official, said Friday that Apple is in breach of competition law because it charges app developers high commission fees and forbids them from telling users about cheaper alternatives.

"Our preliminary conclusion is that Apple abused its dominant position for the distribution of music streaming apps through its app store, and distorted competition in the music streaming markets," she told reporters during a press conference.

The European Commission launched an investigation of Apple last June following a complaint from music and podcast giant Spotify (SPOT).

The Commission said in a statement Friday that it objects to the mandatory use of Apple's in-app purchase system imposed on streaming services. It is "also concerned that Apple applies certain restrictions on app developers" that prevent them from informing iPhone and iPad users of alternative purchasing options.

Doing so "deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition," Vestager said in the statement.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek praised the Commission, saying in a Twitter post that "fairness is the key to competition.'

"We are one step closer to creating a level playing field, which is so important for the entire ecosystem of European developers," he added.

The accusations are the latest development in a series of high profile battles between the European Union and Big Tech companies that have resulted in hefty penalties. Apple could eventually be fined up to 10% of its annual sales if found in violation of competition rules.

Apple said in a statement on Friday that the "Commission's argument on Spotify's behalf is the opposite of fair competition."

"At the core of this case is Spotify's demand they should be able to advertise alternative deals on their iOS app, a practice that no store in the world allows.

Once again, they want all the benefits of the App Store but don't think they should have to pay anything for that," it added.

Apple will now have the chance to reply to the Commission in writing and request a hearing. It typically takes years for the European Union to conduct and conclude an antitrust case.

Europe has turned itself into the cop on the Big Tech beat, repeatedly enforcing its rules and hitting the industry's top American companies with huge fines.

The European Union last year unveiled formal antitrust charges against Amazon (AMZN) for abusing its dominance in online shopping. Google (GOOGL) has also been hit with a series of antitrust investigations and penalties.

Last year, Apple won an appeal against a landmark 2016 ruling from the European Commission that it owed Ireland €13 billion ($14.9 billion) in taxes.

The European Union's second highest court ruled that the Commission had not proven that the company had received illegal state aid from Ireland through favorable tax agreements. Vestager has appealed the decision.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
California County Reinstates Mask Mandate in Health Facilities as Respiratory Illness Risk Rises
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
×