Apple’s App Store rules breach EU tech rules because they prevent app developers steering consumers to alternative offers, EU antitrust regulators say, a charge that could result in a hefty fine for the iPhone maker.

The European Commission, which also acts as the European Union’s antitrust and technology regulator, said it had sent its preliminary findings to Apple following an investigation launched in March.

The charge against Apple is the first by the commission under its landmark Digital Markets Act, which seeks to rein in the power of Big Tech and ensure a level playing field for smaller rivals.

It has until March to issue a final decision.

EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager cited issues with Apple’s new terms.

“As they stand, we think that these new terms do not allow app developers to communicate freely with their end users, and to conclude contracts with them,” she told a conference on Monday.

The commission said under most of the business terms, Apple allowed steering only through “link-outs”, meaning that app developers could include a link in their app that redirected the customer to a web page where the customer could conclude a contract.

It also criticised the fees charged by Apple for facilitating via the App Store the initial acquisition of a new customer by developers, saying they went beyond what was strictly necessary for such remuneration.

Apple said it had made a number of changes in the past several months to comply with the act after getting feedback from developers and the commission.

“We are confident our plan complies with the law, and estimate more than 99 per cent of developers would pay the same or less in fees to Apple under the new business terms we created,” the company said in an email.

The EU executive said it was also opening an investigation into the iPhone maker over its new contractual requirements for third-party app developers and app stores and whether these were necessary and proportionate.

DMA breaches can cost companies fines as much as 10 per cent of their global annual turnover.

-Reuters