iATKOS | United Kingdom: Netherlands ACM Launches Investigation Into Whether Apple Abuses Its Control Over the App Store

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has announced the launch of an investigation to determine whether Apple is abusing its control over the App Store. The investigation was prompted by the results of a market study into app stores which the ACM has published today.

"To a large degree, app providers depend on Apple and Google for offering apps to users," says Henk Don, Member of the Board of ACM. "In the market study, ACM has received indications from app providers, which seem to indicate that Apple abuses its position in the App Store. That is why ACM sees sufficient reason for launching a follow-up investigation, on the basis of competition law."

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Investigation
Apps have increasingly become important parts of our daily lives. Businesses that provide apps depend on the app stores of Apple and Google for offering their apps to users. Given the significant importance of these app stores to app providers, ACM expects Apple and Google to exhibit fair and transparent behavior. ACM will investigate, among other aspects, whether Apple acted in violation of the prohibition of abuse of dominance, for example, by giving preferential treatment to its own apps. At first, the investigation will focus on Apple because, at the moment, the most detailed reports have been received about Apple’s App Store. ACM believes that these reports may indicate conduct that is at odds with competition law.