Apple is under renewed scrutiny by the European Commission (EC). It is now facing pressure to end certain geo-blocking practices. The EC is joined alongside the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network. They have issued a clear call for the company. It’s a call to align its services with the EU’s anti-geo-blocking regulations.
This mandate focuses on:
- Apple’s App Store
- Apple Arcade
- Apple Music
- iTunes Store
- Books and Podcasts
By enforcing these rules, the EC aims to ensure that consumers have equal access to digital content across the European Union.
CPC Network’s Investigation of Apple
The CPC Network’s investigation highlighted several restrictive practices within Apple Media Services. As mentioned earlier, these services span:
- Apple’s App Store
- Music
- Arcade
- iTunes Store
- Books and Podcast
They show different user interfaces depending on the user’s country within the EU or EEA. Apple users are limited to accessing only the version designed for the country in which they registered their account. Changing this interface is challenging and goes against EU anti-geo-blocking laws.
Moreover, the company restricts payment options. Users can only make purchases with cards issued in the country where their Apple account is registered. They’re also unable to download apps available in other EU countries, even if they are traveling or temporarily staying there. The EC and CPC Network argue that consumers should have the freedom to download apps from any EU or EEA country while traveling.
Apple now has one month to respond to these findings. The company must propose steps to align its services with EU regulations and cut the geo-blocking barriers identified. So, what happens when the company fails to comply? National consumer protection authorities in the EU have the power to enforce measures to ensure it follows the rules. Worth noting that these rules prevent discrimination based on nationality. So, they won’t affect the other markets.
