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Apple Faces EU Antitrust Complaint Over App Store and iOS Restrictions

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Apple is facing a new antitrust complaint in the European Union, filed jointly by civil rights organizations Article 19 and Germany’s Society for Civil Rights. The complaint, submitted to the European Commission, accuses Apple of breaching the Digital Markets Act (DMA) through restrictive App Store terms and device policies that limit interoperability and competition.

The complaint argues that Apple’s conditions for developers — including a €1 million stand-by letter of credit (SBLC) — create barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to distribute or install third-party apps on iOS and iPadOS. The groups claim such practices violate the DMA’s goal of ensuring fair access and consumer choice in digital markets.

Apple rejected the allegations, stating that its rules protect users and developers by maintaining high security and quality standards. The company said it had proposed changes to its credit requirements, but that the European Commission asked it not to proceed.

The European Commission confirmed it is reviewing the complaint as part of its ongoing supervision of “gatekeeper” companies under the DMA. The law allows regulators to impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue for noncompliance — a significant threat for Apple, which was fined €500 million earlier this year for other App Store violations.

Google offers new search result changes to avoid looming EU antitrust fine

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Google has submitted a fresh set of proposals to the European Commission in an effort to avoid a major antitrust fine, pledging to further modify how its search results display competing services such as Google Shopping, Hotels, and Flights.

According to a document seen by Reuters, Google’s latest offer builds on a July proposal that faced pushback from vertical search services (VSS) — specialized search engines focused on areas like travel, hotels, and restaurants — as well as price comparison sites. These rivals argued Google’s previous plans still favoured its own services.

The new proposal is part of an investigation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping EU law aimed at curbing Big Tech dominance, promoting competition, and offering users more choice.

In the updated framework, Google said it will allow third-party search services to display their own dedicated boxes on search results pages, similar in format to those used for Google’s own services. Each “VSS box” will contain inventory and results directly from the third-party platform, selected through objective, non-discriminatory criteria.

Suppliers — such as hotels, airlines, or restaurants — would appear in boxes placed either above or below depending on query relevance, the company explained. Google also said it would not share competitors’ data with other parties, a key concern among rivals.

While expressing a desire to resolve the EU probe, Google warned that excessive changes could benefit intermediaries at the expense of European businesses selling directly to consumers. “We remain concerned that further changes could prioritise the commercial interests of a small set of intermediaries,” a company spokesperson said.

OpenAI warns EU regulators of Big Tech dominance in AI market

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OpenAI has raised competition concerns with European Union regulators, warning that entrenched tech giants such as Google are using their market power to dominate the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.

The company confirmed Thursday that its arguments to EU officials last month “mirrored its public positions” on the need to ensure fair competition in AI. During a September 24 meeting with EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, OpenAI said it faced major hurdles competing against vertically integrated platforms that control both infrastructure and distribution, according to meeting notes cited by Bloomberg News.

The firm urged regulators to prevent large companies from “locking in users” through their ecosystems — a reference to concerns that firms like Alphabet and Microsoft could tie AI products to existing search, cloud, and software services.

The European Commission has already been investigating how major technology platforms are extending dominance into AI through intercompany agreements and exclusive data access. Neither the Commission nor Google responded to requests for comment.

OpenAI’s outreach to EU authorities comes as it cements its own global influence. Following a secondary share sale last week, the ChatGPT-maker is now valued at $500 billion, making it the world’s most valuable startup with over 800 million weekly users.

Analysts say the move signals that OpenAI wants to shape the regulatory debate in Europe — not only to challenge rivals like Google and Anthropic, but also to secure its place in a market increasingly defined by antitrust scrutiny and AI sovereignty policies.