EU antitrust enforcers earlier this year boosted their case against the company’s so-called anti-steering obligations, but dropped an earlier charge against Apple’s requirement that developers use its in-app payment system.
The Commission said the anti-steering obligations breach EU rules against unfair trading conditions, a relatively novel legal argument in an antitrust case.
Apple has said there is no merit in the case triggered by a Spotify complaint in 2019, pointing to the Swedish music streaming service’s dominant market share in Europe, where Apple Music trails in third or fourth place in most EU countries.
Its other argument is that it has revised rules to allow reader apps such as Spotify and Netflix to include links to their website for sign-ups and user payments, allowing app developers to bypass its controversial 30% App Store fee.
