Music streaming and media firms like Deezer and Spotify appealed to the European Commission to take action against Apple for unfair practices and anti-competitive behaviour. The appeal was sent as a joint industry letter on Wednesday.
The letter to antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager demanded action to safeguard European consumers. For years now, music streaming services have accused Apple of abusing its dominant position as the owner of the App Store to quash rivals.
Not the first
Spotify previously submitted antitrust complaints against Apple in various countries, saying that the 30 percent fee Apple takes from developers on its App Store has pushed it to inflate its prices artificially.
“We are writing to you to call for swift and decisive action by the European Commission against anticompetitive and unfair practices by certain global digital gatekeepers, and Apple in particular”, the letter read, signed by executives from Basecamp, Proton and Schibsted.
Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek has previously said that Apple gives itself “every advantage” while “stifling innovation and hurting consumers”.
Meanwhile
CADE, Brazil’s antitrust authority, has opened an investigation into a complaint filed by e-commerce store MercadoLibre against Apple for alleged abuse of power when delivering software for its devices.
CADE stated that the decision to investigate Apple was made last week based on a complaint by MercadoLibre in December. Apple, according to MercadoLibre, has put a slew of limitations on the distribution of in-app purchases.
The South American firm chastised Apple for restricting developers who provide paid products and services in applications to using Apple’s payment system and prohibiting them from handling purchases on their own terms.