The European Commission issued a series of warnings to the technology giant on the grounds that Apple violated consumer rights by using geo-blocking applications in digital services in European Union (EU) countries. It was stated that Apple discriminates among users within the borders of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA) in its services such as Apple Music, iTunes Store, Apple Arcade and Podcasts, especially the App Store. While the Commission emphasized that these practices were against the EU’s anti-geo-blocking rules, it stated that consumers should be provided with unrestricted access to these services. The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network also supported this warning, demanding that Apple comply with digital access equality across the EU.
According to research, these services, known as Apple Media Services, offer different interface and content options depending on EU countries. This means that a user who is an EU citizen can only access the interface of the country where he created his Apple account and cannot access content from other countries. For example, a user who has opened an Apple account in Germany faces serious restrictions when he wants to see different content in France or access applications offered specifically for that country. The EC states that consumers should be given the right to free movement in digital content and applications. In this context, he argues that when users travel or stay temporarily in other EU countries, they should have access to applications and content offered in that country.
The EU’s current geoblocking regulations aim to prevent unfair discrimination between member states. These rules, which prohibit consumers from being subjected to different practices in digital content depending on their nationality or country of residence, especially aim to secure unlimited circulation of digital services. In light of these regulations, Apple’s application of country-based restrictions on its services is considered contrary to the EU’s “digital single market” strategy. Consumers face problems such as opening a new Apple account to access content in different EU countries or limiting the content they access when traveling abroad.
In addition, within the scope of Apple’s geo-blocking policies, users can only pay with credit cards issued in their own country, which is another factor that limits the right to access cross-border digital services. EU officials state that users should be able to use credit cards valid throughout the EU in every country and that there should be no country discrimination in payment transactions.
Apple may face sanctions
This investigation was carried out under the leadership of the Belgian Directorate-General for Economic Supervision, Germany’s Bundesnetzagentur and the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and under the coordination of the European Commission. While Apple’s current practices were examined in detail within the scope of the study, this discriminatory structure in the digital market was found to be contrary to EU rules. The EC and CPC Network gave Apple one month and asked it to submit solution suggestions regarding the geo-blocking practices in question. It has been reported that if Apple does not respond to these calls, national consumer protection authorities may step in and impose the necessary sanctions for Apple to comply with EU rules.
It remains a matter of curiosity whether Apple will comply with these rules in the coming period and how it will ensure digital access equality across the EU.