European investigations with Apple related to competition .. The company responds: There is nothing free
Today, Tuesday, Apple found itself the target of two European Union antitrust investigations into the App Store and Apple Pay, claiming that it had conducted anti-competitive business practices.
The European Commission said that one of the investigations will consider obligating Apple to use its system for in-app purchases on its own store and rules that prevent application developers from informing iPhone and iPad users of cheaper options elsewhere.
The case came after a complaint from Swedish music broadcast service Spotify last year, which said Apple was banning competitors for its Apple Music application. In addition to paying 30% fee imposed on application developers.
Spotify welcomed the European Union investigation, saying it hoped regulators will deal with the issue quickly. A smaller competitor also filed a similar complaint related to e-books and audiobooks last March.
"It seems that Apple has appointed itself the gatekeeper ... when it comes to distributing applications and content to users of popular Apple devices," European Competition Commissioner Margaret Westager said in a statement.
The European Commission said that one of the investigations will consider obligating Apple to use its system for in-app purchases on its own store and rules that prevent application developers from informing iPhone and iPad users of cheaper options elsewhere.
The case came after a complaint from Swedish music broadcast service Spotify last year, which said Apple was banning competitors for its Apple Music application. In addition to paying 30% fee imposed on application developers.
Spotify welcomed the European Union investigation, saying it hoped regulators will deal with the issue quickly. A smaller competitor also filed a similar complaint related to e-books and audiobooks last March.
"It seems that Apple has appointed itself the gatekeeper ... when it comes to distributing applications and content to users of popular Apple devices," European Competition Commissioner Margaret Westager said in a statement.
The second case focuses on Apple's terms and conditions on how to use the Apple Pay service in merchant applications and websites, as well as the company's refusal to allow competitors to access the payment system.
Apple responded by accusing some companies of filing unfounded complaints, and criticizing European anti-trust regulators for listening to them and opening two investigations into the Apple Store and Apple Pay.
"It is disappointing that the European Commission makes unfounded complaints from a handful of companies that simply want a free ride, and do not want to play with the same rules as everyone else," she said in a statement.
"We do not think this is true. We want to maintain a level playing field where anyone with determination and determination can succeed," she added.
Apple responded
Apple responded by accusing some companies of filing unfounded complaints, and criticizing European anti-trust regulators for listening to them and opening two investigations into the Apple Store and Apple Pay.
"It is disappointing that the European Commission makes unfounded complaints from a handful of companies that simply want a free ride, and do not want to play with the same rules as everyone else," she said in a statement.
"We do not think this is true. We want to maintain a level playing field where anyone with determination and determination can succeed," she added.
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