The European Commission opens two antitrust investigations into Apple's App Store and Apple Pay practices

Both investigations begin today — The European Commission is opening two antitrust investigations into Apple's App Store and Apple Pay practices today.

The Verge 2020-06-16 Tom Warren

Context & Ripple Effects

This is the formal opening of a probe the Commission had already signaled: after weighing Spotify's complaint about App Store fees, the EU decided to investigate Apple's conduct, and today that becomes two formal antitrust investigations — one into App Store rules, one into Apple Pay. The dual scope matters because it targets both sides of Apple's platform: how it taxes developers and whether it favors its own wallet.

First-order effects

Apple now faces parallel fact-finding on its App Store take-rate rules and Apple Pay's merchant practices, with Spotify — whose fee complaint triggered the App Store track — positioned as the key complainant.

Second-order effects

National regulators pile in rather than wait for Brussels' outcome: Germany's Federal Cartel Office and UK authorities open their own App Store probes, and Italy's AGCM later examines Apple's own-app exemptions from ATT alongside EU questionnaires to retailers about Apple Pay.

Third-order effects

The escalation path from member-state complaints to EU charge sheets — seen when the EU moved to charge Apple over App Store rules within a year — points toward codified platform-conduct rules in Europe, where commission findings become the template other regulators copy.

The trend: European regulators are converging on Apple's dual-platform control — app distribution and payments — moving from scattered national complaints toward coordinated, rule-based oversight of gatekeeper platforms.

Discussion

@jacknicas Jack Nicas on x
While American regulators mostly focus on Google, Facebook and Amazon, Apple's opponents have found new hope in Europe. Spotify's legal chief: “Apple acts as the stadium owner, referee and player, and tilts the playing field in favor of its own services.” https://www.nytimes.com/…
@btleyden Ben Leyden on x
Spotify's 2019 complaint against Apple has finally led to a formal EC investigation into 2 App Store rules: 1) All digital content must be sold through Apple's IAP system 2) Devs can't direct users to outside payment options from their app More here: https://ec.europa.eu/...
@ncsh Nico Wittenborn on x
A potential black swan event for Mobile Subs Cos is regulation or competition forcing Apple to reduce its % take through the AppStore at 1 point.. Should that ever happen, say to 15%, it could mean $10s of millions going straight to EBITDA and $100s in extra EV for the big ones! …
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Microsoft and Google will be looking at the EU antitrust investigation into Apple very closely. The outcome could greatly impact services like xCloud and Stadia on iOS
@ow @ow on x
Is it fair for Apple to force App Store developers to use its payment networks and pay a 30% cut of sales, when its own services don't have to? It's good to see Europe is investigating this. https://www.cnbc.com/...
@sam_l_shead Sam Shead on x
The EU is ultimately asking whether its right and fair that companies have to go through Apple to reach consumers. Apple takes a 30% commission on other company's App Store revenues including rivals like Spotify https://www.cnbc.com/...
@tsoni_maria Maria Tsoni on x
@EU_Competition opens two #Antitrust investigations into: (i) terms of AppStore for music streaming and e-books/audiobooks, and (ii) practices regarding Apple Pay📍https://ec.europa.eu/ ...... and https://ec.europa.eu/...
@eu_commission @eu_commission on x
We have opened formal antitrust investigations to assess whether Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules. More: https://europa.eu/!RD47YJ #EUantitrust https://twitter.com/...
@javierespft Javier Espinoza on x
scoop: Apple faces fresh EU antitrust complaint || Rakuten's ereader subsidiary Kobo claimed it was anti-competitive for Apple to charge it a 30 per cent commission for e-books sold through the App Store while promoting its own product, Apple Books. https://www.ft.com/...
@financialtimes @financialtimes on x
Japanese media and ecommerce group Rakuten has joined music streaming site Spotify in asking the EU to investigate Apple's App Store https://www.ft.com/...
@tariqkrim Tariq Krim on x
Finally but 10 years too late. https://twitter.com/...
@satariano Adam Satariano on x
NEW: Apple is facing more antitrust scrutiny in Europe over over the App Store and Apple Pay. A unifying thread in all these antitrust probes against big tech platforms is their role as “gatekeepers” upon which other businesses depend. https://www.nytimes.com/...
@eu_commission @eu_commission on x
We have opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether Apple's conduct in connection with Apple Pay violates EU competition rules. More: https://europa.eu/!uM87Hv #EUantitrust https://twitter.com/...
@ryan_browne_ Ryan Browne on x
New: The EU has opened two antitrust investigations into Apple One focusing on its App Store rules (e.g. taking 30% commission for in-app purchases) https://ec.europa.eu/... The other looking at Apple Pay https://ec.europa.eu/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Apple has issued a statement on EU antitrust investigations. “It's disappointing the European Commission is advancing baseless complaints from a handful of companies who simply want a free ride, and don't want to play by the same rules as everyone else.” https://www.theverge.com/…

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