EU could soon fine Apple for DMA non-compliance
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The European Union's Digital Markets Act could result in its first fine against Apple after repeatedly failing to comply with the word and spirit of the law.
Apple has faced challenges in complying with new laws designed to prevent monopolies from controlling the market, with Apple’s anti-steering practices in particular continuing to come under fire.
According to a Bloomberg report, the EU may be preparing to fine Apple for failing to comply with the DMA, although the details are not yet known. The fine could be issued before Margrethe Vestager leaves office in November, or it could be pushed back to a later date in 2024.
Anonymous sources claim that Apple could be hit with one large fine, followed by periodic fines until Apple complies, although the report does not specify how Apple is failing to comply or what the potential fine in November would entail.
Despite Apple’s claims that it complies with the law every time, it continues to morph and change its own rules in an attempt to satisfy regulators. The latest change came in November, eliminating virtually all anti-governance practices and eliminating the Core Technology Fee for all but 1% of iOS apps.
It’s unclear whether the reports of a fine from Tuesday are due to Apple not yet implementing these changes, or whether the proposed changes are still insufficient. The fine could be as much as 10% of annual worldwide sales, or 5% of average daily revenue.
A previous report in June said Apple was set to be fined, but it never happened. These inside sources may have heard rumors of plans, but it will ultimately be up to EU regulators to decide.
Apple’s controversial response to the DMA has been under intense scrutiny since the start, with regulators arguing that Apple may be following the letter of the law but not the spirit, which has discouraged developers from using the solutions it provides.
This saga will inevitably continue for months or years as the EU continues to bully Apple for not properly complying with the DMA. It is unclear what Apple can do to satisfy antitrust watchdogs other than not charging and letting users do whatever they want.
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