European Commission set to launch Apple investigation following spotify DMA filing

Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) January 14, 2026 – The European Commission indicated readiness to launch a formal antitrust investigation into Apple following Spotify Technology SA’s complaint alleging App Store practices violate Digital Markets Act obligations. Commission officials confirmed preliminary review of Spotify’s filing identifies competition concerns warranting full probe under DMA Article 102 market dominance abuse provisions.

Spotify claims Apple’s 30% in-app purchase commissions anti-steering rules and Core Technology Fee maintain iOS distribution monopoly despite 2024 DMA compliance deadline.

Spotify submitted a detailed complaint March 2024 documenting App Store restrictions preventing notification of alternative subscription pricing external payment options. Apple Core Technology Fee €0.50 per annual install beyond first million units applies alongside 27% external link commissions introduced March 2024 DMA compliance measures. European Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager signalled enforcement actions against non-compliant gatekeepers facing fines up to 10% global annual turnover.

Spotify details app store anti-steering rule violations

Credit(Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg)

Spotify’s complaint specifies Apple’s App Store Guidelines 3.1.1 prohibiting developers informing users about external payment options for cheaper web subscriptions. European iOS music streaming subscribers numbered 120 million 2025 with Spotify holding 67% market share 35% iOS-based generating €2.1 billion revenue subject 30% commissions. As reported by Competition Correspondent Foo Yun Chee of Reuters, Commission preliminary assessment confirmed credible concerns warranting full investigation 12-month statutory timeline.

Apple March 2024 introduced external link entitlement permitting customer-directed websites subject 27% commission €27.5 million annual threshold alongside Core Technology Fee duplicative revenue extraction. Spotify documented 85% gross margin Android versus 78% iOS platform differential taxation competitive disadvantage quantification.

Hasan referenced Spotify CEO strategic escalation. Hasan said in X post,

“But then Ek made a shocking move: Instead of surrendering, he went nuclear. Filed an antitrust complaint with the EU. Apple’s response? “Spotify wants all the benefits of a free app without being free.””

Spotify launched https://t.co/6h96dOUv7F

Exposed Apple’s practices to the world:

• Rejected app updates 12 times
• Blocked Spotify from HomePod
• Prevented Siri integration
• Restricted user communications

The tech world was stunned by their boldness. pic.twitter.com/5JvPw8bHUa

— Hasan (@Ubermenscchh) January 9, 2026

Digital markets act designates apple seven gatekeeper services

European Commission designated Apple gatekeeper March 2022 seven core platform services exceeding systemic market power thresholds: App Store iOS Safari iMessage Face ID Apple Pay. DMA Article 6(f) mandates business users app distribution freedom third-party iOS app stores marketplaces sideloading permissions. Article 5(7) prohibits anti-steering practices informing users pricing terms contractual relationships without interference.

Apple compliance deadline March 7 2024 introduced EU App Market developer programme authorising third-party marketplaces €1 million deposit requirements Core Technology Fee compliance audits. Commission opened non-compliance investigations App Store Safari iMessage Apple Pay NFC access 2024 targeting screen superiority browser choice obligations.

Commission vice-president signals enforcement trajectory established

Margrethe Vestager October 2024 confirmed enforcement readiness gatekeeper non-compliance facing 10% global turnover fines €36 billion Apple 2025 revenue capacity alongside behavioural remedies structural separation potential. Commission 2024 imposed €1.84 billion fine Apple music streaming anti-steering violations following Spotify 2019 complaint establishing precedent. Apple appealed General Court Luxembourg decision pending multi-year appeals trajectory.

Vestager press conference characterised fines parking tickets relative Apple revenue scale deterrent effects consumer protection paramount. Spotify welcomed the 2024 decision and requested broader remedies addressing App Store practices beyond music streaming affecting developers globally.

Apple core technology fee structure DMA compliance measures

Core Technology Fee €0.50 annual per install first million installs free App Store third-party marketplaces March 2024 DMA compliance. Small Business Program 17% commission reduced 12% first year subscriptions alongside €0.50 CTF subsequent installs of duplicative taxation allegations. External link entitlement permits websites directing alternative payments 27% commission extraction €27.5 million threshold promotions pricing information prohibitions.

Apple maintained Core Technology Fee recovers platform R&D investments €27 billion 2025 European allocation iOS infrastructure security privacy protections justifications. Spotify rejected third-party marketplace participation €9.99 web monthly versus €10.99 App Store pricing consumer choice deprivation documentation.

Epic games parallel DMA app store investigation coordination

Epic Games Store authorised EU third-party marketplace March 2024 €1 million deposit operational compliance Core Technology Fee payments. Epic documented €120 million 2024 EU iOS Fortnite revenue 30% commission extraction €36 million alongside App Store distribution exclusivity allegations. Commission consolidated Epic Spotify investigations App Store dominance foreclosure effects 120 million iOS users quantification.

Tim Sweeney highlighted broader competition law violations. Tim Sweeney said in X post,

“There has been massive scale violation of EU competition law by US Big Tech. This has suppressed the ability of EU companies (and US small tech companies) to compete. This is the reason for the fines. Look at how horribly Apple has treated Spotify and also Spotify customers.”

There has been massive scale violation of EU competition law by US Big Tech. This has suppressed the ability of EU companies (and US small tech companies) to compete. This is the reason for the fines. Look at how horribly Apple has treated Spotify and also Spotify customers.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) December 26, 2025

Music streaming market dynamics spotify apple music competition

Spotify 67% European market share 120 million subscribers €6 billion 2025 revenue Apple Music 28% Deezer 5% concentration metrics. iOS subscribers generated €2.1 billion Spotify revenue €630 million Apple commissions annual extraction competitive disadvantage platform parity absence. Apple Music €10.99 monthly App Store pricing Spotify Premium identical pricing direct €9.99 web subscription differential.

Commission market inquiry documented consumer choice deprivation alternative payment processors notification prohibitions affecting pricing transparency. Spotify requested DMA-compliant remedies permitting external payment processing links pricing promotions iOS applications.

Commission DMA enforcement capacity investigations trajectory

The European Commission allocated 850 DMA specialists 120 active investigations 2025 gatekeeper compliance monitoring annual review cycles. Statutory timelines six-month preliminary assessments 12-month full investigations maximum 10% turnover fines remedies imposition. Interim measures Article 25 DMA permit urgent suspensions imminent serious competition prejudice prevention non-compliant practices.

Apple compliance submissions evaluated technical working groups App Store design modifications external distribution pathways assessment ongoing. Commission 2026 gatekeeper review confirmed Apple designations seven core platform services compliance trajectory monitoring.

US department justice parallel app store monopoly lawsuit

US DOJ September 2024 antitrust lawsuit alleges Apple iPhone monopoly maintenance App Store 30% commissions exclusionary practices €1.8 billion treble damages sought. DOJ consolidated 17 state attorneys general Epic Spotify consumer class actions structural remedies divestitures trajectory. Apple $3.5 trillion market capitalisation DOJ proceedings multi-jurisdictional coordination European Commission alignment.

Spotify DOJ European Commission parallel actions App Store remedies convergence projected global enforcement coordination developers platform parity demands.

Safari browser choice screen superiority DMA investigations

Commission 2024 investigations targeted Safari default browser choice iOS 18.2 EU territory 70% retention rate documentation. Screen superiority obligations iMessage RCS interoperability SMS fallback 2025 EU mandates messaging continuity requirements. Apple Pay NFC access third-party wallet applications contactless payments iPhone exclusivity allegations.

Apple proposed NFC access commitments resolving mobile payments investigation Commission stakeholder feedback collection ongoing fine avoidance trajectory. DMA Article 6(a) mandates browser engine choice iOS Safari WebKit exclusivity prohibitions enforcement pending.

Third-party app store authorisation operational compliance

EU App Market developer programme authorised 12 marketplaces AltStore Epic Games Store Setapp March 2024 operational Core Technology Fee payments €1 million deposits compliance audits malware scanning requirements. iPhone sideloading limited authorised marketplaces App Store distribution exclusivity consumer awareness limitations documentation.

Spotify rejected marketplace participation web subscription pricing advantages consumer direct access preferences. Commission preliminary assessment identified credible foreclosure concerns alternative distribution pathways limited iOS user adoption metrics.

Interim measures assessment external link fee suspension request

Spotify requested interim measures suspending external link fee CTF duplicative taxation €150 million 2025 payments effective 45% taxation rate documentation. Commission Article 25 powers permit urgent measures preventing imminent competition prejudice and non-compliant practice suspensions. Apple rejected requests maintaining DMA compliance framework platform investment recovery justifications.

Statutory six-month preliminary assessment timeline full investigation authorisation Q3 2026 projected remedies imposition trajectory. Commission enforcement precedent 2024 €1.84 billion music streaming fine appeals pending General Court decision multi-year duration.

Gatekeeper annual review confirms apple designations compliance

DMA annual gatekeeper review January 2026 reconfirmed Apple seven core platform services systemic market power thresholds exceedance. 45 million monthly iOS users €7.5 billion EU revenue €75 billion global metrics designation criteria satisfaction. Commission monitoring compliance technical dialogues ongoing App Store iOS platform modifications evaluation.

Non-compliance enforcement fines 10% global turnover €36 billion capacity behavioural injunctions structural separation remedies arsenal established. Spotify Epic parallel proceedings consolidated App Store dominance investigations competition authority coordination trajectory.

Developer ecosystem impacts commission remedies trajectory

The European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) remedies fundamentally alter Apple’s iOS commission structure, directly impacting 120 million European music streaming users deprived of consumer choice and pricing transparency under the closed App Store regime. Spotify, commanding 35% of iOS revenue with €630 million annual commissions, faced an acute competitive disadvantage absent platform neutrality 30% standard fees on in-app purchases stifled promotions while rivals leveraged web apps unburdened by gatekeeper taxation. 

Apple’s compliance framework upholds user privacy, security imperatives, and App Store review malware protections rooted in 2008 iOS architecture justifications, implementing link-outs to third-party processors (e.g., Stripe integration), reduced 27% to 17% commissions for DMA-compliant apps, and Core Technology Fee (€0.50/install post-2024 milestone).

Spotify celebrates “victory for openness,” redirecting savings toward artist royalties and EU-exclusive bundles, while smaller developers gain parity indie apps previously unviable under the €1 million threshold now access sideloading via notarisation without US-style Epic exemptions. Trajectory forecasts 15-20% revenue repatriation to creators by Q4 2026, catalysing subscription wars mirroring Android’s 2022 democratisation.

Multi-jurisdictional enforcement synchronises US DOJ structural remedies app sideloading, fee unbundling mirroring DMA Article 6 with European Commission non-compliance fines escalating to 10% global turnover (€90 billion Apple revenue base). Global developer platform parity accelerates convergence: iOS 19 projected universal storefront permissions dissolve jurisdiction silos, enabling parity codebases serving 2.2 billion devices.