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Apple is once again under fire from European regulators, with the European Commission declaring the company still non-compliant with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) despite recent changes to
its App Store policies. The company now has until June 22 to bring its operations in line, or face daily fines potentially totalling billions. The Commission’s full 67-page ruling, published
this week, follows an earlier €500 million (A$875 million) fine handed down in April. The ruling accuses Apple of continuing to use “anti-steering” practices that prevent app developers
from clearly informing users about cheaper or alternative payment options outside of the App Store. One example criticised in the ruling is Apple’s use of so-called “scare sheets”, which are
warning messages that appear when users click on external payment links – suggesting that Apple won’t guarantee the security or privacy of purchases made off-platform. While Apple had
introduced new business terms this year, allowing a single external link per app, it maintained strict control over how these links are presented and continued to collect a 27% commission on
externally completed sales. The Commission found these efforts fell well short of DMA requirements, which mandate that developers be allowed to promote and facilitate alternative payments
without unfair barriers. In response, Apple issued a statement to _9to5Mac_, saying the decision “threatens the privacy and security of our users in Europe and forces us to give away our
technology for free.” The company described the EC’s actions as “bad for innovation, bad for competition, bad for our products, and bad for users.” Apple is set to appeal the decision, but
if the company fails to comply by the June deadline, the EU can begin imposing daily penalty payments of up to 5% of Apple’s global revenue. The DMA, which came into full effect last year,
aims to rein in tech giants designated as “gatekeepers” by ensuring fair competition and greater freedom for developers.