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Apple has officially appealed to the EU's General Court against the massive €500 million fine imposed by the European Commission for allegedly breaching the Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to Apple, the decision by the EU is unprecedented, and the fine exceeds what the law intended.

In a statement, Apple expressed its dissatisfaction with the Commission's ruling, arguing that it not only interferes with its operations of the App Store but also creates confusion for developers and negatively impacts users. Apple highlighted that it has already revised its rules to avoid daily fines as per the directives received, and it will present the facts in court for further proceedings. The controversy began in late April of this year when the EU determined that Apple violated the DMA's 'steering restrictions' clause, finding that it obstructed developers from informing users about alternative purchasing channels outside the App Store, which had implications for market competition.

Consequently, the EU mandated that Apple must allow developers to freely provide external purchasing links, offer alternative payment options, and enable users to make purchases directly through these external links. In response to this pressure, Apple has adapted its App Store usage policies in the EU region as of late June, allowing developers to guide users to external options and no longer mandating the use of Apple's in-app purchase mechanism.

The new fee structure, effective from January 1, 2026, will include a tiered system where developers will pay up to 20% in fees depending on the service level they select. This represents a significant reduction from the previous 30% rate. The new model comprises two tiers: Tier 1 includes basic services—such as app distribution and security management—but excludes features like automatic updates, ratings, search suggestions, marketing, and analytics data. In contrast, Tier 2 allows developers to access these additional services, but at a higher cost.

Importantly, developers cannot opt out of paying any fees to Apple; Tier 1 is mandatory, while Tier 2 remains optional. Apple stated that this cost structure was created in response to EU demands, with the Commission designating which services should be included as optional, leading to the current complex design of options, including the exclusion of search and browsing recommendations from the basic tier. In its appeal, Apple plans to argue that the EU has overextended its interpretation of the DMA regarding the 'steering restrictions' and has unduly interfered with how Apple manages its own platform, constituting unreasonable interference. Apple believes that the original intent of the DMA is to protect fair market competition without excessively regulating business autonomy.

Although Apple has temporarily complied with the Commission's demands to adjust its App Store policies to avoid daily fines, the matter still requires the court's further determination. This legal battle between the two parties may last several months, if not years. Moreover, this lawsuit not only affects Apple's operational strategies in the European market but also sets a significant legal precedent for the boundaries of power between global digital platforms and regulatory authorities.