Apple set to see 1st fine under EU’s Digital Markets Act – report

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is set to face the first-ever fine under the EU’s Digital Markets Act for Big Tech, Reuters reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

In June, the European Commission said that Apple’s App Store rules breached the DMA as they prevent app developers from steering consumers to alternative channels for offers and content.

The fine could come this month, but the timing could still vary, the report added.

In March, the Commission had launched a non-compliance probe against Apple, Alphabet’s (GOOGL) (GOOG) Google and Meta Platforms (META) for potential violations under the DMA.

The U.S. tech giant has been making efforts to adhere to the DMA rules. In August, Apple announced changes to how its products operate in the EU. The company also updated its App Store fee structure for developers in the region to comply with the rules. In the same month,

However, Apple’s antitrust woes have continued to pile up. In September, it was reported that the EU was set to warn the company to open up the iPhone operating system to rival technologies or potentially risk fines.

Earlier this year, Apple challenged a €1.8B ($1.9B) fine imposed by the EU regulator over the company’s App Store rules related to music streaming providers, including Spotify (SPOT).

About two months, Apple lost a long-running court tussle with the EU and was ordered to pay €13B in back taxes to Ireland.

Last year in September, the Commission designated for the first time six gatekeepers — Alphabet, Amazon (AMZN), Apple, Meta, Microsoft (MSFT) and Chinese tech giant ByteDance (BDNCE) — under the DMA. Certain products provided by these companies come under the DMA and the EU’s Digital Services Act, or DSA — which regulates online intermediaries and platforms that millions of Europeans use every day. The DSA protects consumers and their rights online.