From All Access

APPLE faces two EUROPEAN COMMISSION probes into whether it has violated antitrust regulations with its APP STORE after an initial complaint by SPOTIFY last year.

The investigation focuses on iPADS and iPHONES being limited to installing apps from APPLE’s own APP STORE, among other restrictions on third-party developers. The inability of services other than the iPHONE to use the tap-and-go ability of APPLE PAY is also under dispute. 

APPLE responded it was “disappointing” the EU was “advancing baseless complaints,” accusing companies that raised the allegations of wanting a “free ride.” “Our goal is simple: for our customers to have access to the best app or service of their choice, in a safe and secure environment.”

SPOTIFY Head Of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer HORACIO GUTIERREZ stated,  “At the heart of our case is the fact that APPLE acts as stadium, owner, referee, and player, and tilts the playing field in favor of its own services.

We want a fair treatment and the opportunity to compete without artificial obstacles put in our way. All we’re doing is asking APPLE to stop enforcing these anti-competitive rules because APPLE intentionally designed a system rigged in their favor.

“The cost of working around APPLE’s rules has been material. There is no doubt that SPOTIFY would have been much more successful if it were not for APPLE’s conduct. Their actions have also slowed us down, slowed our pace of innovation on the iOS platform.”

The latest development comes days before APPLE holds its annual developers conference.

For more on this story go to; https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/197444/apple-faces-european-probe-into-antitrust-violatio