Apple handed $115 million fine by Italian antitrust watchdog over App Store 'dominance'

Italy’s antitrust authority has imposed a multi-million-euro fine on Apple, accusing it of abusing its dominant market position within its app ecosystem. The ruling, announced on Monday, marks the latest in a series of regulatory challenges facing the iPhone maker across the European Union.

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) stated that Apple’s restrictive policies on the App Store have unfairly penalised third-party developers while giving its own services an undue advantage. The fine, totalling several million euros, follows a lengthy investigation into how the company manages data and payment systems for mobile applications.

According to the regulator, Apple has implemented a "discriminatory" policy regarding user data. The watchdog alleged that Apple applies stricter privacy prompts and data-sharing hurdles to third-party apps than it does to its own pre-installed software. This "double standard," the AGCM argues, allows Apple to consolidate its grip on the digital advertising and app distribution markets.

Furthermore, the investigation focused on Apple’s insistence that developers use its proprietary in-app purchase system, which carries a commission of up to 30%. The regulator noted that by preventing developers from directing users to cheaper external payment methods, Apple is effectively stifling competition and keeping prices artificially high for Italian consumers.

Apple has expressed its disagreement with the ruling, asserting that its policies are designed to protect user privacy and security. The company is expected to lodge an appeal against the decision in the Italian courts.

This move by Italy aligns with a broader European crackdown on Big Tech. Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), "gatekeeper" companies like Apple are facing increased scrutiny over their "walled garden" business models. Similar investigations are currently active in France and Germany, as European regulators seek to level the playing field for smaller software houses.

As the tech industry moves into 2026, this ruling serves as a stark reminder that the era of unregulated dominance for major platforms is rapidly drawing to a close. For Apple, the challenge remains: balancing its highly profitable ecosystem with the increasingly stringent demands of international competition law.