Reports indicate that the European Union will announce that Apple will not face penalties related to its non-compliance with an antitrust regulation concerning the selection of web browsers on iPhones. The potential fine could have reached up to 10% of Apple’s overall global revenue.
Initially, Apple made modifications to iOS to allow users to select a different default browser, but the EU determined that these adjustments did not fulfill the requirements of the law.
Web Browser Selection
At first, the default web browser on iPhones was Safari, with no options for alteration. While users had the ability to install other browsers like Chrome, links tapped in emails, for instance, would still open in Safari.
Moreover, Apple mandated that all competing browsers operate on the WebKit engine, restricting their capacity to offer features beyond what Safari provided or to enhance performance.
The EU’s antitrust regulations required Apple to implement changes for fair competition. Subsequently, Apple enabled users to manually choose a different default browser. Nonetheless, Safari remained the default for users who did not make a selection, leading the EU to assert that Apple’s own browser continued to maintain an unjust advantage.
In January of the previous year, Apple declared plans to address these issues in two ways. First, iPhone users within the EU would be prompted to select their default browser during the initial device setup, with Safari included as one of several options in a randomly generated list. Second, competing browsers would be permitted to use their proprietary web engines.
Apple Avoids Fines
The modifications made by Apple seem to align with the law’s requirements fully, and it is expected that this will soon be confirmed. Reuters has reported that the ongoing investigation is likely to conclude next week without any action taken against Apple.
Apple is on track to avoid a potential fine and an EU mandate regarding its browser options on iPhones following its compliance with significant EU regulations aimed at curtailing Big Tech, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The European Commission initiated an inquiry in March of last year under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and is anticipated to finalize its investigation early next week, as per these sources.
While this would resolve one antitrust concern for Apple, the company still faces scrutiny over anti-steering provisions that restrict developers from linking to external payment options. A resolution for this matter is also anticipated soon.
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