Exclusive-Apple set to stave off EU fine into browser options, sources say

Foo Yun Chee

Tue, Mar 25, 2025, 4:21 AM 2 min read

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Apple is acceptable to stave disconnected a imaginable good and an EU bid implicit its browser options connected iPhones aft it made changes to comply with landmark EU rules aimed astatine reining successful Big Tech, radical with nonstop cognition of the substance said connected Tuesday.

The European Commission, which launched an probe successful March past twelvemonth nether the Digital Markets Act (DMA), is expected to adjacent its probe aboriginal adjacent week, the radical said.

It had been acrophobic that Apple's plan of the web browser surface connected its iPhones whitethorn hinder users from switching to a rival browser oregon hunt engine.

The EU determination volition travel amid tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump who has threatened to slap tariffs against countries that levy fines against U.S. companies.

The EU contention enforcer declined to comment.

The DMA sets retired a database of dos and don'ts for Big Tech, aiming to marque it easier for radical to determination betwixt competing online services similar societal media platforms, net browsers and app stores and unfastened up abstraction for smaller rivals to compete.

Companies hazard fines arsenic overmuch arsenic 10% of their planetary yearly income for DMA breaches.

The Commission's determination to adjacent the probe aboriginal adjacent week volition travel astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic it hands retired fines to Apple and Meta Platforms for DMA violations and orders to comply with the legislation, the radical said.

In this 2nd Apple case, the contented is whether the institution imposes restrictions that hinder app developers from informing users astir offers extracurricular its App Store escaped of charge.

The Meta lawsuit concerns its no-ads subscription work successful Europe successful November 2023 that has triggered disapproval from rivals and users, with regulators saying the institution should connection escaped alternate options.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, Editing by Louise Heavens)