By Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust chief, has cautioned Apple and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, regarding their fee structures for services, suggesting that such practices could impede users from fully benefiting from the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the increased choices it offers users in the region.
In the EU, Apple has implemented a new fee structure.
Apple, in compliance with the EU’s DMA, unveiled multiple adjustments, notably opening its closed ecosystem to competitors. Among these changes is a revised fee structure, wherein the company will levy a core technology fee of 50 euro cents annually per user account from prominent app developers who opt out of utilizing Apple’s payment services.
- Criticism from competitors such as Epic Games has been prompted by this development.
- Vestager has expressed her interest in the new fees, suggesting potential scrutiny into whether they deter the utilization of DMA advantages.
- Meta has announced a reduction in subscription fees for Facebook and Instagram, lowering them from 9.99 euros to 5.99 euros per month.
- Vestager highlighted the diversity in monetization strategies, emphasizing the importance of ongoing discussions with Meta to ensure DMA compliance.
- She cautioned against practices that dissuade users from switching to competitors, indicating that such behavior could lead to investigations.
- Regarding Apple’s handling of security risks arising from changes, Vestager cautioned against claiming other services as unsafe.
