Spain has launched an investigation into Apple, accusing the tech giant of potentially engaging in anticompetitive actions related to its treatment of developers on the App Store.
Spain’s Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) is conducting the investigation. CNMC has a history of scrutinizing major tech companies for antitrust behavior.
Previously, CNMC fined Apple and Google a combined $218 million for such actions, though this fine is currently suspended pending an appeal with the Spanish High Court.
Europa Press announced the new investigation, which will investigate whether Apple has been imposing unfair commercial conditions on developers who use the App Store. Unlike many other probes, this one was not sparked by a specific complaint but initiated by CNMC itself due to the significant economic impact of app stores in Spain.
At this early stage, the CNMC has not detailed the allegations against Apple. However, similar investigations in other countries have often focused on Apple’s anti-steering rules, which restrict developers from directing users to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
Should Apple be found guilty, it would violate Spain’s Article 2 of the Law on the Protection of Competition (LDC). This law allows for penalties of up to 10 percent of a company’s total worldwide turnover from the previous year. Given Apple’s massive global revenue, such a fine could be substantial.
The CNMC has a two-year window to conclude its investigation and reach a ruling. Apple has not yet commented on the new investigation.
This move by Spain follows a broader trend of increased regulatory scrutiny of major tech companies worldwide, particularly concerning their control over digital marketplaces and the terms they set for developers. If the CNMC finds Apple guilty, it could significantly change how the App Store operates in Spain and potentially influence similar actions in other regions.
