Recently, tech giant Apple has been slapped with a massive fine of €1.8 billion for breaching competition rules in the streaming market. The European Union’s antitrust regulator found that Apple had abused its dominant position in the music streaming industry, giving its own Apple Music service unfair advantages over competitors.

The European Commission stated that Apple had imposed anti-competitive restrictions on app developers, forcing them to use Apple’s in-app payment system and preventing them from informing users of alternative, cheaper payment methods. This practice not only harmed consumers by limiting choice and driving up prices but also stifled innovation and competition in the market.

As a result of these violations, Apple has been ordered to pay a record-breaking fine of €1.8 billion. In addition, the company must change its business practices to ensure fair competition in the future. This landmark decision sends a strong message that anti-competitive behavior will not be tolerated in the European Union.