A apple prepares for an antitrust battle as it faces revised European Union (EU) charges related to restrictions placed on Spotify on its application distribution platform, app store. The company will have the opportunity to present its arguments at closed hearings in Brussels, where it will present its defense before the European Commission authorities and representatives of national competition authorities.

EU antitrust authorities recently stepped up their case against Apple’s so-called “target commitments” to prevent Spotify and other music streaming companies from informing their users about purchasing options other than the App Store itself. While the previous charge related to the requirement to use Apple’s in-app payment system was dismissed, the new allegations focus on the company’s targeting practices.

The European Commission argues that these targeting obligations violate EU rules prohibiting unfair trading conditions, a relatively unprecedented legal argument in an antitrust case. Apple, for its part, maintains that the allegations are baseless and points to Spotify’s dominance of the European music streaming market, with Apple Music ranking third or fourth in most EU countries. According to the company, Spotify has a significant market share and therefore has enough power to inform users about other purchasing options.

Additionally, Apple claims it has changed its policy to allow reading apps like Spotify and Netflix to include links to their own websites, allowing users to sign up and pay without going to the App Store. The change aims to give app developers more flexibility and bypass the 30 percent fee Apple charges on App Store transactions.

Spotify is looking for a quick solution

Spotify, for its part, is actively involved in this process and calls on the European Commission to take a swift decision. The music streaming service emphasizes the importance of fair competition and a balanced market environment. Although the date of the hearing and the final verdict are not yet known, this case represents an important chapter in the discussion about the commercial practices of large technology companies and the balance between control of the application ecosystem and free competition in the digital market.

It is important to note that the European Commission does not comment on the oral hearings or their timing, keeping the process confidential until a final decision is made. It remains to be seen how this clash between Apple and the EU will play out, which could have major implications for the tech industry and future rules in the digital marketplace.

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Source: Apple Insider.

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