Spain’s Regulator Escalates Probe, Citing Six-Month Delay in Apple App Store Contracts
Spain’s competition regulator intensified its years-long antitrust probe into Apple’s App Store agreements, citing a delay of over six months in removing anti-competitive clauses. The action signals potential fines or mandated contract revisions for Apple in the Spanish market.
1. Years-Long Antitrust Investigation
Spain launched its competition inquiry against Apple’s App Store terms over a year ago, examining alleged clause restrictions on third-party developers and marketplace access for Apple services.
2. Findings of Delayed Compliance
The regulator highlighted that Apple took over six months to amend provisions deemed anti-competitive, extending the investigation and prompting formal warnings.
3. Potential Penalties and Requirements
Apple now faces possible fines or binding orders to overhaul its App Store contracts in Spain, which could reshape its digital services operations and revenue model in the region.