In late 2023, Russia reported a record antitrust penalty levied against Apple, as cited by the Federal Antimonopoly Service channel on Telegram. The notice highlights a substantial fine tied to regulatory actions in which the tech giant was found to have abused its market position within the mobile app ecosystem on iOS devices.
Regulators also recalled a separate case from the previous year in which Apple faced a lawsuit involving 906 million rubles due to alleged abuse of dominance in the iOS app market. The proceedings underscored ongoing scrutiny of Apple’s practices in Russia and the potential consequences for the company’s operations there.
Across the year, fines collected by Russian authorities totaled 5.8 billion rubles, underscoring the breadth of antitrust enforcement and its impact on the national budget as well as on market players in the technology sector.
A separate report from the 2022 period notes that Apple was again subject to a sizable penalty in Russia, amounting to 1.1 billion rubles. This reference points to the persistent regulatory environment Apple faces in the region and the large sum tied to successive enforcement actions.
In the European Union, attention shifted to Apple as well, with authorities contemplating a substantial penalty. The European Commission reportedly considered a fine of up to €500 million related to music streaming practices, reflecting ongoing concerns about compliance with EU competition rules in digital media services.
Industry insiders have also suggested that Apple could confront further restrictions regarding the deployment of certain technologies in wearable devices. Reports indicate that discussions are underway about limiting the use of a key technology in smartwatches, illustrating the broader regulatory landscape that could shape Apple’s device strategy in the near future.