United Kingdom launches antitrust probe into Apple’s App Store

British antitrust regulators launched a probe of Apple’s App Store Thursday after developers complained that the tech titan’s policies put them in a chokehold.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority said it’s investigating concerns about the terms Apple forces on developers who want to distribute apps through the store, as well as complaints about the steep commission Apple charges for purchases made through iPhone and iPad apps.

The investigation will examine whether Apple has a “dominant position” in the UK’s app market and, if so, whether it imposes “unfair or anti-competitive terms on developers,” officials said.

Epic’s lawsuit was supported by fellow tech giants such as Facebook, Match Group, and Spotify, which filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union last year.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it “continues to coordinate closely” with the EU’s European Commission, which has already opened three investigations into the App Store. British regulators noted that their probe is only in its early stages and has not reached a conclusion on whether Apple is breaking the law.

Apple said it would work with UK officials as they conduct their investigation. The Cupertino, California-based company has defended its App Store policies by saying they apply evenly to every developer who uses the platform.

Apple shares were trading down about 0.2 percent in premarket trading Thursday at $121.77 as of 7:44 a.m.

Category: Technology

Source: New York Post