Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, known for his criticism of Apple and a lawsuit he filed against the company for anticompetitive behavior, mocked Apple’s response to the European Commission’s €1.84 billion fine. The fine, in favor of Spotify, revolves around Apple’s anti-steering clauses that restricted music streamers like Spotify from redirecting users to their own websites.
Describing Apple’s reaction to the fine as “bitter griping,” Sweeney highlighted Apple’s history with app makers and their relationship where mutual profits were made through great APIs and features. He emphasized that Apple essentially benefited from its platform’s popularity among users.
Initially, Apple’s App Store was viewed as a tool to promote iPhone sales by offering easy access to popular apps like Facebook. However, as Apple expanded its services business, it pushed developers to use in-app purchases for revenue, leading to stronger control over app monetization.
While Apple introduced exceptions for “reader” apps in 2022, it still exerts significant control over the process, dictating terms for exceptions, link appearances, and advertising within apps.
Sweeney welcomed the EU’s ruling due to Epic Games’ own legal battle against Apple on similar grounds.
Epic Games aimed to distribute Fortnite to iOS users without relying on the App Store or paying Apple commissions. While it succeeded in a case against Google, the fight with Apple saw mixed results, with a court allowing developers to link to external payment options but Apple still imposing a commission on those sales.
Sweeney sees the EU’s decision as relevant to the U.S., pointing out the lawbreaking by Apple and the ongoing legal battle between Epic and Apple.
He shared a Business Insider article highlighting the significant impact of the EU’s fine on Apple’s stock price, causing a market cap loss of around $80 billion.
Spotify also reacted positively to the fine but expressed concerns about Apple’s regulatory practices. Sweeney retweeted Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s message regarding the fine and Apple’s compliance issues.
