London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 07, 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
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
×