The European Commission has fined Apple over €1.8 billion for abusing its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps to iPhone and iPad users (‘iOS users’) through its App Store. In particular, the Commission found that Apple applied restrictions on app developers preventing them from informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services available outside of the app (‘anti-steering provisions’). This is illegal under EU antitrust rules.

    • Kidplayer_666@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Apple’s answer is fair. IF THERE WAS A WAY FOR SPOTIFY TO BE DOWNLOADED WITHOUT THE APP STORE

      • GenEcon@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        Either that or just don’t directly compete with them. Without Apple Music no one would have complained about it.

        But you can’t establish a monopoly and leverage it to charge your direct competitors a high fee.

        • deweydecibel@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          To be fair, Apple’s position in the digital music market predates all of the streaming apps. They may not have gone all in on Apple Music until after Spotify started taking off, but when it came to music, Apple devices were synonymous with them for a very long time.

          The problem is they created a marketplace with the App Store, allowed competition in, and for way too long we have all kind of collectively accepted the fact that because it’s their platform there allowed to have special privileges over everyone else on it.

          With the EU is doing is recognizing that these devices are not niche, they’re not game consoles, they are devices that every single person has, and this is a marketplace that every person is active in. It is far too large for Apple to be allowed to have that kind of privilege.

          It has nothing to do with what’s fair to Apple because regulating capitalism properly should not be about fairness to all parties equally. It should be about balancing the scales and leveling the playing field.

          • GenEcon@lemm.ee
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            9 months ago

            To be honest: I am not so worried about the app store – the majority doesnt care anyways. Its in my opinion far more important that Apple and Google aren’t able to leverage their monopoly into other areas, similar how Microsoft did so with Windows and Internet explorer.

            Either ditch iMessage Apple Music, apple TV, etc completly or force apple to give their competitors an equal paying field, meaning no costs to use the app store, no default App and no free promotion.

    • JustUseMint@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Lmaooo

      “Spotify doesn’t even pay us!!!”

      Edit: omg its so tone deaf, the pot calling the kettle black:

      "In short, Spotify wants more. "

      Once more, lmaooooo

    • clubb@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Damn that’s petty. They’re like a 5 year old child that got their toy taken from them

      • deweydecibel@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        They’re used to being treated like God’s special little tech company here in the states, so of course they’re going to throw a fucking tantrum when faced with a regulatory body that actually treats them as they should be treated.

        • Gabu@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          The beatings will continue until morale anti-consumer practices improve.

    • dustyData@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      They’re getting punished for keeping the users in a golden cage, and they are mad that they might have to give some of that power away. You can tell by the fact that not a single paragraph actually addresses the reason for the fine. The EU doesn’t give a damn how many times you flew engineers to Stockholm, this is about the conditions in which iOS operates that hurt both developers and users. But we already knew that Apple doesn’t give a fly about users, it’s money and nothing else for them. “Spotify doesn’t pay Apple” oh cry me a river.

    • dalekcaan@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Despite that success, and the App Store’s role in making it possible, Spotify pays Apple nothing. That’s because Spotify — like many developers on the App Store — made a choice. Instead of selling subscriptions in their app, they sell them on their website. And Apple doesn’t collect a commission on those purchases.

      Oh noooooo, Apple is only making most of the money, instead of all the money 😭

      Eat shit and die, Apple

    • EarMaster@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      I am wondering if it’s really true, that Spotify pays nothing to Apple. If my information is correct every app provider needs to have at least one active Apple Developer subscription (in the case of Spotify there is probably far more than just one account involved). If it is true that Spotify pays nothing to Apple the only possibility is that Apple invited them to bring their app to iOS and granted them free access.

      I know 99 USD is not what Apple is after, but it seems dishonest to not disclose this.