MILAN, (Dec 22, 202): Italian antitrust regulators have hit Apple Inc. with a €98.6 million (≈ $115.5 million) fine for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the iOS app market through restrictive App Store practices
The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) said the U.S. tech giant and two of its Italian subsidiaries were penalized for conduct that unfairly restricted third-party developers and reinforced Apple’s “absolute dominance” in app distribution on iPhones and other iOS devices.
According to the ruling, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, a privacy feature requiring explicit user consent for cross-app data tracking was enforced in a way that disadvantaged developers and added undue friction to the user experience, without proportionately advancing Apple’s stated privacy objectives.
The authority also said the company’s App Store rules limited developers’ ability to compete fairly, potentially breaching European competition standards.
Apple has not yet publicly responded to the decision
Growing EU Efforts to Rein Apple’s Monopoly and Protect Competition
The Italian antitrust penalty against Apple is not an isolated enforcement action but part of a wider European regulatory campaign aimed at curbing Apple’s control over its app ecosystem.
Earlier in 2025, EU antitrust regulators fined Apple €500 million for breaching the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark law designed to limit the market power of so-called “gatekeeper” platforms. The European Commission concluded that Apple unlawfully restricted app developers from informing users about alternative purchasing options outside the App Store, such as external websites offering subscriptions or digital content at lower prices. Regulators found that Apple’s rules effectively locked developers into its in-app payment system, allowing the company to continue charging commissions while limiting consumer choice.
Beyond the DMA ruling, Apple has come under increasing scrutiny across multiple European jurisdictions for how it enforces its App Store policies and privacy framework. Several competition authorities have raised concerns that Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) system while positioned as a privacy-first feature may disproportionately disadvantage third-party developers and advertisers while exempting or favoring Apple’s own services. Regulators argue that this asymmetry could distort competition rather than merely protect user privacy.
Italy’s latest fine reflects these broader concerns. The competition authority determined that Apple’s dominant position in iOS app distribution gave it significant leverage over developers, and that certain policies were applied in ways that went beyond legitimate platform governance. Similar investigations and penalties have emerged in countries such as France and Germany, underscoring a coordinated European effort to rebalance power between dominant tech platforms, developers, and consumers.
Taken together, these actions signal that European regulators are moving from warnings and compliance discussions toward direct financial penalties and structural enforcement, marking a tougher phase in the EU’s oversight of Big Tech. Apple is expected to continue contesting these decisions, but regulators have made clear that platform size and ecosystem control will no longer shield companies from competition law scrutiny.
Apple Expected to Appeal as EU Regulators Tighten Control Over Big Tech
Apple is expected to appeal the Italian Competition Authority’s (AGCM) ruling, a step it has consistently taken in previous European antitrust cases. Under Italian law, the company can challenge the decision before the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio, potentially delaying enforcement of the fine while judicial proceedings are underway.
An appeal, however, would not pause the broader regulatory momentum facing Apple across Europe. Competition authorities are increasingly coordinating their enforcement efforts, particularly under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which grants regulators expanded powers to impose fines, mandate behavioral changes, and require ongoing compliance reporting from designated “gatekeeper” platforms.
For Apple, this means closer scrutiny of how its App Store rules, privacy policies, and payment systems are implemented in practice—not just in Italy, but across the European Union. Regulators have signaled that future enforcement actions could go beyond monetary penalties, potentially forcing structural changes to app distribution, advertising practices, and developer access.
For developers and consumers, the outcome could lead to greater transparency, more payment options, and reduced dependency on Apple’s proprietary systems. As enforcement accelerates, Europe is positioning itself as the global testing ground for tighter oversight of Big Tech platforms, setting precedents that could influence regulatory approaches in other regions.
