Apple fined €1.8bn for breaking streaming rules

Apple has been fined €1.8 billion by the European Commission for breaching EU competition rules in its App Store. The tech giant was found to have abused its dominant position by imposing restrictive rules on how music streaming services can compete with Apple Music.

The fine is the largest ever imposed by the EU for anticompetitive conduct, and comes after a lengthy investigation into Apple’s business practices. The Commission found that Apple’s rules had forced music streaming services to pay a 30% commission on subscriptions sold through the App Store, giving Apple an unfair advantage over its competitors.

Apple has said that it plans to appeal the decision, arguing that it has always operated in compliance with EU competition rules. The company has also announced that it will make changes to its App Store policies to address the Commission’s concerns.

The fine is a significant blow to Apple, which has faced increasing scrutiny over its dominance in the tech industry. It is also a warning to other tech companies that the EU will take action against anticompetitive behavior.