Apple’s antitrust dispute with the European Union over allegedly illegal App Store practices intensified as watchdogs issued a new warning that could lead to more fines, just months after the iPhone maker was slapped with a fine of 1.8 billion euros (US$1.9 billion) for competition in the music streaming system.
The European Commission said Monday that Apple should allow app developers to direct users to cheaper deals outside the App Storein order to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Law, which establishes a series of “dos and don’ts” for some of the largest technology platforms in the world.
The Brussels regulator has also announced that it has opened a new investigation into Apple’s new App Store fees for EU developers, in order to examine whether they comply with the DMA. Failure to comply with the law could result in fines for the company of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
Monday’s announcement – which is a preliminary step – follows a similar measure the EU took against Apple in March under its standard competition rules, which resulted in a first wave of fines.
