The European Commission has officially closed its antitrust investigation against Apple regarding App Store rules for apps from ebooks and audiobooks. An affair that began in 2020, following a report from the giant Rakuten through its subsidiary Kobo, ended in nothing after the withdrawal of the complaint by the ebook distributor.
The issue revolved around the controversial 30% commission imposed by Apple on every purchase made through the App Store. According to Kobo, this rate would have made it impossible to compete with Apple Books, Apple’s internal service that is not subject to the same fees.
The investigation focused on two main aspects:
- The requirement for developers to use Apple’s in-app purchasing system.
- The ban on informing iPhone and iPad users about cheaper purchasing options available outside the App Store.
Despite the closure of this investigation, the European Commission has clarified that this decision does not mean that Apple’s practices comply with competition law. In fact, the company remains under observation for other potential violations, including those related to Digital Markets Actwhich identifies Apple as a “gatekeeper” and forces it to review many of its policies.
This is just one of three proceedings launched by the Commission against Apple in 2020. A parallel case related to Apple’s practices on music streaming services ended with a fine imposed on the company in March 2024.
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Source: www.iphoneitalia.com
