Apple Challenges $2 Billion EU Fine for Anti-Competitive Restrictions on Music Streaming Apps

Apple has filed a lawsuit challenging a €1.8 billion fine from the European Commission. The fine was issued for abusing its dominant position in the market for the distribution of music streaming apps to iPhone and iPad users.

Following a complaint from Spotify, the Commission found that Apple applied restrictions on app developers preventing them from informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside of the app ('anti-steering provisions').


According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple filed a suit at the EU's General Court in Luxembourg to topple the March decision. The European Commission said it stands ready to defend all its decisions in court.

In a prior release rejecting the EU's findings, Apple said "European consumers have more choices than ever in a digital music market that's grown exponentially. In just eight years, it's gone from 25 million subscribers to almost 160 million — with more than 300 million active listeners — and Spotify has been the biggest winner." It also claimed that was no evidence of anti-competitive behavior. "Eight years of investigations have never yielded a viable theory explaining how Apple has thwarted competition in a market that is so clearly thriving."

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