BRUSSELS, April 8 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators
are checking to see if an Apple ( AAPL ) proposal would comply
with their order to let Spotify ( SPOT ) and other music
streaming services inform users of payment options outside its
App Store, the European Commission said on Monday.
The iPhone maker risks antitrust charges and fresh fines if
its proposal announced last Friday fails to satisfy the EU
competition enforcer, which issued its order together with a
1.84 billion euro ($2 billion) fine last month
Under Apple's ( AAPL ) proposal, the Swedish music streaming service
Spotify ( SPOT ) and others can include a link to their websites to
inform users of other ways to purchase digital goods or
services, away from Apple's ( AAPL ) App Store.
They can also invite users to provide their email address to
be sent a link to the platform's website to buy digital music
content or services. Such links, however, carry a 27% fee to
Apple ( AAPL ), including for subsequent auto-renewing subscriptions.
"We are currently assessing whether Apple ( AAPL ) has fully complied
with the decision," a Commission spokesperson said.
"In general, if the Commission suspects that there is
non-compliance with an adopted decision, it will send the
undertaking concerned a Statement of Objections ..."
Spotify ( SPOT ) bemoaned the fact that it was still waiting for
Apple ( AAPL ) to comply with the EU order, five weeks on.
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