The European Commission fined Apple €1.84 billion on Mar 04 2024 for antitrust violations concerning its App Store, following a complaint by Spotify.

The fine was issued due to Apple's prohibitive restrictions on alternative payment options and its 30% fee on in-app purchases, which the EU found to be unfair.

This marks the first instance where the EU Commission imposed an additional deterrent sum on top of an antitrust penalty.

Apple is set to challenge the ruling in court but must pay the fine and adhere to the EU's directive to amend its practices during the legal process.

A separate EU antitrust probe is underway targeting Apple's mobile payment system.

In anticipation of the EU's Digital Markets Act, Apple introduced new operation fees, drawing criticism from major developers like Spotify and others.

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager emphasized that the Commission will vigilantly observe Apple's compliance with the upcoming Digital Markets Act regulations.