Spain to expand antitrust investigation into App Store pricing rules

Just as Apple inches closer to winning EU approval for its latest App Store changes, Spain’s competition watchdog is expanding its own investigation, citing “new evidence” related to Apple’s developer pricing rules. Here are the details.

Back in July 2024, the Spanish National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) launched a probe accusing Apple of “imposing unfair commercial conditions” on developers who distribute apps through the App Store.

Now, as reported by EuroNews:

“The CNMC said it will broaden the probe due to ‘new evidence’ that the tech giant requires developers to follow a pricing schedule set by Apple in order to sell their apps in its marketplace.”

According to the regulator, this behavior could restrict competition, violating European Union law. The CNMC says it has one more year to complete its review, and stressed that the expansion “does not prejudge the outcome.”

Apple pushed back on the allegations in a statement to EuroNews, saying the App Store is “a safe and trusted experience for users and a great business opportunity for developers in Spain and around the world”.

The company added that it would “continue to engage with the Spanish Competition Authority to ensure our concerns are fully understood.”

So close!

Today’s news comes as Apple works to wrap up a high-profile, years-long clash with the European Commission over compliance with the Digital Markets Act.

After announcing another wave of App Store changes in the EU last month, including looser restrictions on external payments and a new three-part fee structure, a recent report by Reuters suggested that the European Commission is likely to sign off on the changes.

Still, even if the EU turns out to be officially satisfied with Apple’s latest concessions, the Spanish case goes to show that the App Store model might remain under pressure in the region and, inevitably, beyond.

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