Apple has taken steps to avoid a fine and unwanted action from European regulators over its iPhone browser settings. The company has made changes to its software to comply with EU rules aimed at curbing the dominance of big tech companies, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The European Commission launched a probe into Apple’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) last March, which will be completed early next week, sources said. The agency is trying to determine whether Apple is trying to prevent iPhone users from choosing a browser other than Safari or a search engine other than Google. European officials will make their decision at a time when relations between the region’s countries and the United States are strained, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on countries that fine American companies.
The DMA contains a list of what big tech companies can and cannot do, and aims to make it easier for people to switch between competing online services, including social media, browsers, and app stores, and to open up the market to smaller players. Violations of the law can result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s annual global turnover. Once the findings are announced, the European Commission could simultaneously fine Apple and Meta
for violating the DMA, as well as order compliance measures.
As part of the investigation, the agency also intends to establish whether Apple has hindered developers seeking to inform mobile app users about alternative ways to pay for digital goods and services outside the App Store. The Meta case concerns a paid ad-free social media subscription introduced in Europe in November 2023 — officials believe that there should be free alternatives.