Apple Hit with $568m EU Fine for Restricting Third-Party Payment Options on App Store

The European Union has imposed a fine of $568.6 million on Apple for non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act. According to reports, Apple violated EU laws by disallowing App Store apps from referencing or linking to alternative payment methods, effectively forcing developers to share 30% of their revenue with the company. The European Commission stated, "App developers using Apple's App Store should be allowed to inform customers about alternative offers outside the store, direct them to these offers, and enable purchases without charge." The Commission found Apple's restrictions on app developers to be unjustified, preventing both developers and consumers from benefiting from alternative, potentially cheaper options. The ruling instructs Apple to lift these restrictions and refrain from similar conduct in the future, considering the severity and duration of the infringement. Meanwhile, the investigation into Apple's user choice obligations has been closed due to the company's proactive engagement. This development comes after Meta, the owner of Facebook, was ordered to pay $227.5 million for its advertising policies. Although Apple updated its EU business terms to permit links to external payment systems, the European Commission maintains that the company breached its anti-steering obligations under the DMA.