Apple receives EU warning to end ‘discriminatory’ geo-blocking practices

The European Union has accused Apple of unlawfully discriminating against EU customers aft uncovering the Cupertino company’s geo-blocking measures whitethorn beryllium violating the bloc’s user extortion rules. 

Announced via a property merchandise connected Tuesday, the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) said a associated probe had identified “several perchance prohibited geo-blocking practices” that Apple applies to its App Store, iTunes Store, Arcade, Books. Podcasts, and Apple Music services. Issues see restricting consumers to outgo methods issued successful the aforesaid state wherever their Apple relationship was registered, preventing app downloads offered successful different EU/EEA countries, and having restrictive, region-specific interfaces. 

“In the app mentation of these services, consumers are lone allowed to entree the interface made for the state wherever they person registered their Apple relationship and look important challenges erstwhile attempting to alteration this, which is not allowed nether EU’s anti-geo-blocking rules,” the CPC Network said successful the property release. These rules and other EU work regulations prohibit companies from placing “discriminatory provisions” connected services that restrict EU customers based connected nationality oregon state of residence.

“We are stepping up the combat against geo-blocking. No company, large oregon small, should unjustly discriminate customers based connected their nationality, spot of residence oregon spot of establishment,” European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said successful the property release.