EU against Apple: «App Store violates the digital market, a new investigation is needed»

The European Commission, after the indiscretions of the last few days by the Financial Times, has officially communicated to Apple the preliminary opinion according to which the rules of‘App Stores violate the Digital Markets Act (DMA)as they prevent app developers from
freely direct consumers to alternative channels for offers
and contents. A theme, that of the DMA, which is also connected to the postponement of the launch of Apple’s Artificial Intelligence on our continent.
LThe Commission then launched a new non-compliance procedure against Apple out of concern that its new contractual requirements for third-party app developers and app stores, including Apple’s new Core Technology Fee, fail to ensure effective compliance with the DMA.

Vestager: «Apple does not fully allow “steering”»

Vice President of the European Commission with responsibility for Antitrust, Margrethe Vestager, says: «Today is a very important day for the effective application of the DMA: we have sent the preliminary results to Apple. Our preliminary position is that Apple doesn’t allow steering completely» (the term “steering” means the possibility of directing users towards alternative channels). Vestager then adds: «The directive is crucial to ensuring that app developers are less dependent on gatekeeper app stores and that consumers are aware of better offers. We have also opened cases against Apple in relation to its so-called core technology commission and various rules to allow third-party app stores and sideloading. The developer community and consumers are eager to offer alternatives to the App Store. We will investigate to ensure Apple does not undermine these efforts.”he added.

This is the third investigation opened into Apple

According to the DMA, developers who distribute their apps via the Apple App Store should be able, free of charge, to inform their customers about cheaper alternative purchasing options, direct them to these offers and allow them to
make purchases. The new investigation opened today – the third – concerns non-compliance with Apple’s new contractual terms for developers as a condition for accessing some of the new features enabled by the DMA, in particular the provision of alternative app stores or the ability to offer an app through an alternative distribution channel . Apple has so far maintained the option to subscribe to the previous conditions, which do not allow alternative distribution channels at all.