Debugger

Apple May Finally Have to Answer for Its Unfair App Store Policies

An antitrust investigation in the EU combined with controversy over a new email app spell trouble for the tech giant

Photo: picture alliance/Getty Images

Just days before Apple’s annual developer event, the European Union hit the company with a bombshell: It’s beginning an antitrust investigation into Apple’s App Store rules. Spurred on by Spotify, which has publicly called for scrutiny of Apple’s anti-competitive practices, the investigation will focus on whether the App Store’s payment rules are fair.

For years, developers big and small have expressed concerns about Apple’s rules around in-app purchases and subscriptions. While developers can distribute their apps on the App Store for free, Apple requires that in-app purchases and subscriptions use its own billing tools, which demand a 30% cut of revenue.

Apple’s Secret Monopoly

Apple’s rules also forbid developers from sending their users to a website to pay instead, which would allow companies to use their…