EU drops four-year Apple audiobook probe after complaint is withdrawn

AppleInsider

The European Union has announced that it has ceased its investigation into how Apple treats rival audiobook developers on the App Store, saying the original complainant has withdrawn.

Apple Books

The EU's probe began in 2020, alongside other antitrust investigations into Apple Pay and the App Store. At that time, an unnamed ebook and audiobook distributor filed a complaint claiming that Apple prevents developers getting important customer data.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the European Commission has now closed its investigation. The EU says that the closure is specifically because the complaint was withdrawn, and is not to be taken as a ruling that Apple is correct.

"The Commission will continue to monitor business practices in the European tech sector, including those of Apple," said an EC spokesperson in a statement, "both under the DMA [Digital Markets Act] and competition rules."

On originally announcing the audiobook probe, the EU said that it was similar to Spotify's complaint over Apple's handling of music streaming. That complaint ultimately led to Apple being fined around $2 billion.

Apple has not commented publicly, and nor has the still unnamed audiobook distributor who has withdrawn their complaint.



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MplsP

So someone was complaining that Apple protected our privacy?

chasm

MplsP said:

So someone was complaining that Apple protected our privacy?

Yes, that’s essentially what these complaints boil down to.

entropys

Ever since that Amazon court case I would say Apple is quite disinterested in ebooks.  Like it doesn’t even try.  

I try to buy from Books wherever possible, but in the end a better deal can usually be had at kindle. And that is definitely the case with audio books.