Apple could face its first DMA penalty for failing to comply with the Digital Markets Act. According to the EU, the App Store guidelines do not comply with the law.

There’s a good chance Apple will become the first company to be effectively fined for violating the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to anonymous sources told Bloomberg, the European Commission is preparing a fine. Apple’s App Store policy would not be in line with the so-called steeringRules within the DMA. The amount of the fine is unknown, but it could amount to ten percent of Apple’s annual global sales.

App Store Policies

The alleged fine against Apple relates to undermining alternative iOS app stores. Apple’s App Store policy would contradict the so-called steeringRules from the DMA. They say that the gatekeeper ecosystem that Apple is part of needs to be sufficiently open. The EU believes that Apple is undermining alternative app stores.

A man forewarned is worth two. Apple was already reprimanded in June for its anti-steering policy in the App Store. At this point, the European Commission had already warned of a possible fine. Apple tried to comply with the rules of the DMA and should allow European iPhone users to freely choose system apps.

fine

Nothing is yet known about the exact amount of this upcoming fine. However, the DMA rules state that fines can be up to ten percent of global annual turnover, and twenty percent for repeated violations. For Apple, based on the previous year’s figures, this could amount to $38 billion.

According to the sources, the punishment could be imposed before EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager leaves office. According to the sources, this could also be postponed until “later this year”.