Apple has decided to challenge in an EU court the European Commission’s decision to fine the company €500 million in March for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In the eyes of Brussels, Apple’s restriction of access to third-party offerings outside the App Store is not only an unfair practice, but also a violation of new EU regulations designed to curb Big Tech dominance.
Although the legislation itself – the DMA – only came into force in March 2024, its effects are already shifting market geography. Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon – all companies have been required to open up their platforms and reduce barriers to competition. In the case of Apple, it is about so-called ‘anti-steering’, i.e. a ban on redirecting users from apps to external sites, where prices are sometimes lower than in the App Store.
In response to the Commission’s decision, Apple in June announced a revision of its App Store rules, allowing, among other things, alternative payment methods and informing users about third-party offers. However, this did not close the case. The European Commission is still consulting with developers on the changes, and Apple – as previously announced – has decided to take legal action.
Why is this important? Firstly, this is the first fine of its kind under the DMA – an EU tool designed to make a real difference to the balance of power in the digital economy. Secondly, the Apple case will set a precedent – not only for the interpretation of the law itself, but also for the practical model of enforcement. For the European Commission, it is a test of credibility, and for Apple, a fight to maintain control of an ecosystem that generates billions of dollars a year.
For the tech industry, it’s a signal: the era of Big Tech self-regulation is coming to an end. For years, Apple has defended its closed model as safer and more consistent. Now it must prove that this model can be reconciled with the new regulatory order.
The judgment of the EU Court of Justice may not be forthcoming for several months. Until then, Apple remains in limbo – formally implementing the rules, but informally throwing down the gauntlet to the Commission.
